


Indecent Proposal

by Indehed



Series: Vegas 'verse [1]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-20
Updated: 2013-09-02
Packaged: 2017-12-24 03:32:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 62,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/934810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indehed/pseuds/Indehed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve McGarrett, son of a billionaire hotel tycoon, takes an instant liking to Danny when he spots him at his hotel pool in Las Vegas. He manipulates his way into his life, hoping for a fun distraction, only to discover his feelings run deeper. Danny's life is turned upside down - his marriage falls apart, he misses his daughter and he's suddenly got media attention he doesn't know how to deal with.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Pretty obvious trope, right? The Indecent Proposal one? I don't remember reading anyone else having done it and the story sprung into my head one night rather complete so I had to get it down.  
> And I'm playing to style, since Steve is a determined bastard in this, focused on his goal, and very possessive, and yeah, eventually we veer off from the 'indecent proposal' parts and into something else that just kinda continues my 'verse.  
> Oh and, homophobia isn't really a thing here. It's not really there and we just don't talk about it. Plenty of drama from people loving people and it comes for them over who they are rather than what they are, if you get my meaning.
> 
> Thanks as always to Paulette for beta and cheerleading and asking the important questions! :)

Chapter One

*

Steve McGarrett liked to walk the floor when possible. Sure, he had things he needed to do, he was a busy man, but he liked to get out and about around the casino, the front desk, out by the pool. He could talk to some of the hotel guests and make sure things were okay. They were always surprised to see him, or find out who he was if they didn't already know, and he always met a wide variety of people. It reminded him why he strived to make his hotel the best in Vegas. 

They had pride of place on the Strip and his father had entrusted him to make sure this one ran smoothly, with the idea that he'd eventually take over the entire business and not just one hotel. Sure, there was Mary, but she was only just getting her life together after living as a socialite through her college years and into her twenties. She was in Miami now, running one of the hotels there. 

Steve had never meant to follow in his father's footsteps. He was happy being in the Navy, trying to not live some luxurious lifestyle of the rich and famous and instead give back to his country. He figured he'd either let Mary take over while he rose through the ranks, or he'd make it a lot further in his Navy career before retiring to join his family. But his father's ill health had precipitated a need for him to be more hands-on these days and so he took the position at the flagship Las Vegas location. 

He had a good team around him that kept him on track. Having Chin and Kono at his side almost constantly made things easier and when he couldn't fit everything he needed into his brain, they were there to pick up the slack. 

He wandered around the poolside, watching as everyone soaked up the sun or drank by the pool bar, spending their money or relaxing for a while before hitting the casinos. Chin and Kono were both at his side in their more conspicuous dark clothing and sunglasses, practically acting like Secret Service agents or something. It always seemed weirder when out by the deck rather than inside at the casino which was why Steve rarely spent too long out here, thinking the way they looked might scare people. 

He'd just finished talking to a charming older couple by the bar when he turned to take in everything around him again and then something caught his attention. Though not a something, more of a someone. Someone who was arguably his type (if he had one, which people said he did even though he disagreed). A mop of blond hair that was unruly and drying with some curl to it after a few dips in the pool… the man was certainly shorter than Steve, which was something he readily admitted to liking in a lover, but this man was obviously strong, well-built and muscular in a way that certainly wasn't hidden from view as Steve watched him lie back on the sun lounger. The man's swim trunks were hanging so low on his waist as to accentuate the cut of his hips. It was practically indecent how they managed to stay up at all.

My God, he was good looking.

Steve frowned as he saw the man turn to the woman next to him. Clearly they were together but how 'together' Steve couldn't tell. But while he was a SEAL, he'd also spent time with Navy Intel and he knew how to deduce certain facts. In this case, he could see the glint of rings so he suspected marriage was a definite and yet, they seemed tense despite the poolside, vacation atmosphere. Their loungers were close enough so they could talk, but not to show that they were overly intimate. Either they'd been together a long time and weren't like that anymore, or there was simmering tension underneath. 

Whatever it was, it didn't matter to Steve because he was always like a dog with a bone: focused, determined, too curious for his own good. And now he wanted to know everything. 

With a slight incline of his head he motioned Chin forward. "Over there, the blond," he directed the Hawaiian native's attention. 

"I see him," was his response. 

"Find out everything you can."

"Problem or… 'personal'?" Chin asked, hiding a smile as best he could. 

Steve winced. "Am I really that obvious?"

"He's blond. You like blonds," Chin responded with a shrug of his shoulders, feeling he was stating the obvious.

"Go," Steve pushed Chin towards the building and Kono stepped up beside him. "Kono, get ears on them. Find out why they're here."

"On it, boss," she answered with a smirk before heading to the bar nearest the blond and pretending to begin a conversation with the staff there in order to keep an eye out. Steve remained where he was for a few minutes watching everything going on. His eyes were glued to the tanning man, taking in small details. He eventually made slow steps around, smiling at people as he walked by but always keeping some of his attention on his target until he couldn't do so without craning his head at an odd angle. 

His people needed time to discover what they could, it wouldn't be done instantly and in the meantime he should head back to his office. 

*

Three hours later, he'd only checked out the security footage from the pool deck once, which was good. 

Chin stopped by to tell him what he'd found. He'd hooked into the cameras and worked in reverse to follow the man back to his hotel room. Once he had the number, he'd looked up the details on the front desk system to get his name. 

Danny Williams. 

Steve liked that. It was a good name, suited him. Williams and his wife had checked in for the week and being that it was early on a Monday afternoon, they'd only arrived two days before. Plenty of time. 

He was also thankful that working at a Las Vegas resort and casino meant that security systems were so advanced as to rival that of government agencies, meaning he had quick access to find Williams' drivers license, and that of his wife, Rachel, who it seemed held a UK passport to Danny's American one. Whether or not she had a green card because of the marriage or had already possessed one, it was hard to say, but it was always something you considered when a foreign national married an American. In this case it seemed unlikely to be the main motivation considering what else they had found out: Williams was a police officer with an impressive arrest record. Which would explain one of the reasons the man kept himself physically fit. 

Considering Steve's background as a SEAL, he could appreciate the work Danny did and admire it. Going just by the barest of details he had about Williams, he already liked the guy. 

Not long after, Kono showed up at the office and was able to shed some more personal details on the couple. They seemed to be arguing but since they were in a public setting it was all being done low-key. She hadn't picked up too much and had to infer quite a bit as well, but through the smaller arguments about Danny's mother-in-law visiting, there were some important details she'd found out. 

The first was that they had a daughter. Kono didn't hear, but she estimated the age to be between five and ten going by the conversation about schooling and toys and being spoiled. The other thing she'd picked up on was that part of this vacation seemed to be about Danny recuperating from something. Adding that knowledge to knowing Danny was police, they concluded he must have been injured on duty. Kono agreed that it made sense because Rachel seemed irritated and standoffish about how dangerous Danny's job was and how it could happen again. 

After they'd given him all the information they could, Steve took a few moments to put his thoughts in order. He needed a way to meet Danny that was organic for a man in his position, plus considering what he'd learned he did want to do something nice for the man. 

"Chin, take a letter to the Williams' room, offer them complimentary chips, say… a thousand dollars worth."

"How do you want me to sell it?" Chin asked. 

"I dunno, make up some bullshit… a room number lottery or something. Make it non-specific, so they don't think it's something about them but rather just a random thing. Say they have until 6pm to pick them up on the casino floor. Sign it with my name, not the casino. Oh and have the floor manager notify me the minute they show up to get them and I'll go down and… congratulate them in person."

"You got it, Steve," Chin agreed and left the room, leaving Steve and Kono alone. 

"Boss," she bit her lip, trying to decide how to phrase her question. "You know he's married, right?"

"I know," he said absently while going back to looking at his computer screen.

"I know you're a good guy, and you know I care about you just… don't be a dick about this. He has a daughter."

He looked back at her. "If I've got no hope, I'll back off gracefully. I won't push it. But I won't know unless I give it a go."

"Okay," she nodded before taking her leave. It was about time that she check in on the floor and make sure everything there was running smoothly.

*

The call came in shortly after 5.30pm and Steve would admit, if only privately, that he was beginning to wonder if they would bite. But a thousand dollars is hard to pass up and now he was rushing through the back corridors, heading to the casino pit. He took a few deep breaths before going up behind a now recognizable blond head. He had to approach this nonchalantly… he had to remind himself he knew nothing about this man.

"Hey, Duke, how's everything today?"

"Going good, Steve." Duke smiled and indicated to Danny. "This is Mister Williams. Apparently he won this week's room lottery." Duke was a great guy and a fatherly figure. He had helped Steve settle in when he'd taken over at the hotel and he knew enough about Steve to feel comfortable making fun of him, and the look on his face right now meant Chin had looped him in fully on Steve's intent.

"Vegas has its good points," Williams smiled politely up at Steve, but made no obvious move of recognition, which was odd considering the majority of people knew exactly who Steve was; unless they were foreigners, perhaps. 

"That it does. I'm Steve McGarrett," Steve held his hand out and received a firm handshake for his trouble. "I'm the owner. I trust you're having a pleasant stay so far?"

"So far, so good," Danny nodded. "Hell, I'm a grand up already and haven't spent a dime on the floor yet, so I can't complain."

"Vegas does pay out, occasionally. You here on your own?" Steve tried to keep everything light. 

"Vacation with my wife, hence the no gambling yet. She's not a fan. She's here more for the sun and the spa services."

"Well, these should give you an excuse to get out on the floor while she gets a manicure."

Danny raised a hand and pointed at Steve, smiling at his logic. "That is the angle I'm going with. But I'm not a fool, I know the reason you guys give out the free stuff is to encourage people to go over it and spend even more."

"You got me," Steve opened his arms out. "The house always wins, right? But we can afford to give out a little bit here and there and maybe you'll win big, you never know."

Danny huffed out a laugh. "I'm not that lucky, trust me. But uh, congrats on the marketing ploy. I guess the next generation of McGarretts know how to get money out of Joe Public. It's not just a pretty face and parties for you guys after all."

"So you've heard of us, for a minute there I thought you had no clue," Steve nodded. It was no secret that Steve's father had built their empire rather ruthlessly, but Steve liked to think that the man had mellowed out from his take-no-prisoner's formative years. And Steve himself hoped that his work in the Navy would show people he wasn't just some useless rich kid, or in it for the money and that alone. Of course, the magazines always seemed to favor the more outlandish stories of what Mary got up to, rather than Steve's boring and, quite often, classified life.

Danny cleared his throat. "Up your own ass, much? Not everyone is going to fawn over you. Of course I know who you are, I mean, who doesn't pick up a magazine at the dentist's office now and again, right?"

Steve smiled, enjoying Danny's banter. There weren't many strangers who didn't crawl up his ass and he was enjoying not being seen as a dollar sign. "There is that. But don't believe everything you read. Well… maybe about my sister. I'll admit a lot of that was probably true."

"Well, uh… I ought to be heading back to the room."

"Not spending it now?"

"Can't. Rachel, my wife, she's getting ready for dinner. Hence why I killed some time by picking these up," he held the box of chips in one hand and tapped the underside of it with the other. "We have dinner reservations."

"Nice, somewhere dressy then, I presume?" Steve asked, taking a moment's excuse to look Danny up and down in his smart pants, shirt and tie. 

"One of yours, actually. The Fountain Room."

"Ah, good choice. I recommend the risotto. Or the seafood tagliatelle. Both are excellent."

"Well, thank you for your recommendations. And thanks again for these," Danny reached out and shook Steve's hand again before politely nodding, smiling and taking his leave. 

Steve watched him retreat until he was surrounded by other guests on the casino floor before Duke's voice interrupted his musings. "What's with you and blonds, McGarrett?"

"I'm not that obvious!" Steve exclaimed, perhaps a little too loudly as Duke laughed at him, disguising the action by rearranging random chips on the counter in front of him. 

"You keep telling yourself that, son."

Steve threw a hand up in resignation and wandered off, using his key card to head back through to the rear corridors and dug out his phone to call Chin. 

"Hey, get me a reservation for the Fountain Room tonight. Tell Kamekona to make sure I'm at a table beside Williams. Oh, and tell Catherine that she's coming with me."

"Not Lori?"

"She's got clients. I know two are off to see Celine Dion tonight, one's taking his wife to The Lion King and that group of geek boys will be hitting the bar after their conference ends and you know how much Lori likes to schmooze the geeks. They love her. She has her hands full so Catherine it is."

"Why can't you tell her yourself?"

"Because I'm busy."

"And because she'll just ask you loads of questions you don't want to answer."

"Just tell her it's a business dinner, she'll understand. Maybe because that's exactly what it is. Kind of."

"Fine, I'll take care of it." The line went dead as Chin hung up on Steve. 

Instead of going back to his office he instead went to his penthouse suite and straight to his wardrobe. He wanted to look good, but not too good. It was the Fountain after all, so he should be somewhat dressy. No tie, though. Only businessmen wore ties in Vegas, and tonight, he just wanted to forget business and have a good time. 

*

The two co-workers approached the Fountain Room and Kamekona spotted them immediately, letting one of the waiters guide other guests in. Steve looked up as he went through the arched doorway and enjoyed the sight of the massive indoor fountain they had in place. Despite its size, it was quiet due to the lazy speed of the water and the angles it came down on, before landing in the shallow pool that wound its way around the restaurant then underneath the thick see-through floor panels between sections where you could see the water bob about beneath your feet. He always loved the sound the water made in here. The regulation of the fountain made it sound more like waves crashing on the shore, which made sense for the subtle Island feel to the place.

Steve guided Catherine into the restaurant with a hand on the small of her back. She was still in her work clothes, but even that looked dressed up as she wore a knee-length, figure hugging black dress and stylish (yet comfortable, apparently) heels. If there was one thing he knew, it was that Catherine looked good in pretty much anything. She was gorgeous and the two of them certainly had a fun history but at the end of the day, they were missing that spark that could change them from friends to something more. He was lucky that she felt the same and that they were able to keep their friendship after everything they'd been through. 

Kamekona squeezed through the tables as he personally escorted them in, keeping up a quiet commentary to Steve about how he'd set aside a nice table in a quieter corner of the restaurant for him. The wink was obvious and Steve was lucky he did it before Danny clocked the fact that he was there. 

"Thanks, Kamekona. Can you organize a bottle of the Moscato for us and I'll have the vegetarian risotto. Catherine?" He gestured to her. Neither of them had bothered to lift the menus, not needing them since they both ate there often enough. 

"I'll have my usual, thanks, Kamekona."

"No problems. I'll tell Charlie, he'll take good care of you tonight."

Once Kamekona left, Steve made a surreptitious look around, making a point of not looking directly at Danny despite the fact that they were practically sitting next to each other. Though the tables were separate, they were close enough together that they could comfortably talk and easily push them together to make a four: something the restaurant did frequently to accommodate different party sizes. 

"Williams, right?"

Danny's head turned to him, halting his wine glass from making it to his lips. "McGarrett. This is a coincidence."

"Isn't it just," Steve smiled, taking in Catherine who hid a smile behind her hand. "You must be Rachel." Steve leaned over the gap and shook her hand.

"Mr. McGarrett, it's a pleasure," she answered in her polite, English accent that certainly hadn't been lost even after years spent in the USA. "Thank you for the… chips."

"My pleasure. I hope they're lucky for you."

"That's up to Danny. I'm afraid I'm useless when it comes to casino games. I understand a slot machine and put a flutter on the Grand National every year but that's all I'm any good for when it comes to gambling."

"Well, no pressure, even if you lose it, you don't go out any poorer than you came in."

"Ah, except for the price of the vacation, of course," Danny said, earning himself a frown from his wife. 

"Of course, except for that," Steve smiled. "This is Catherine, she's my head of security."

Rachel turned to her left to take in Catherine. "I wouldn't have thought that was something you saw often. A woman in charge of security? Seems like the last great bastion of male strength."

"Something like that," Catherine agreed. "I was in Navy Intel so not only do I know how to take care of myself, but you need to know your way around high-tech equipment to do this job."

"Luckily Catherine can do both, so I brought her in when I took over the hotel."

"You're Navy too, right?" Danny turned to Steve with a questioning look. 

"Ah, you know more about me than just 'a rich kid who likes to party'?" Steve knew he was smug about that and didn't attempt to hide it. 

"Well, when you make the newspapers as well, I've read a thing or two."

Steve could have pressed for more once he saw Danny's blush, but instead he let it go. "I was a Navy SEAL. I transferred to the Reserves when my father became ill. I never expected to be a part of the family business so soon… if at all."

"I'm sure the living conditions must be more pleasant than anything on a ship," Rachel said.

"There is that," Steve smiled over at her but his attention was still mainly on Danny, his interest in the other man was difficult to hide. "What about you, what do you both do?"

"Rachel is an accountant, I'm with Newark PD."

"Police." Steve sat back, an arm resting on the back of his seat. "Should I be calling you Officer Williams?"

"Detective," Danny supplied. Even though Steve already knew these details, it was fun hearing it directly from Danny. "I work homicide."

Steve spared a glance for Charlie as he brought their wine over, and he let Catherine take control to taste it and make sure Charlie was acknowledged. He was one of the best waiters in the place, Steve saw him often, so he knew the man wouldn't take it personally if he was slightly ignored in favor of a guest that Steve was, on the surface, 'schmoozing'. 

"That's impressive. Well, now I'm glad you won our little lottery. It's nice to see a public servant come out tops rather than some trumped-up businessman. You look like the kind of guy that takes pride in his work, which probably means you're damn good at it."

"Thanks," Danny ducked his head a little, hiding any discomfort in his glass as he took a sip, avoiding Rachel's eyes. Steve looked curiously over at Catherine to see if she noticed the same reaction and it seemed she had. It was interesting. There was clearly something about Danny's job that Rachel didn't like. It was as if a classic argument had been remembered by both of them. 

Dinner carried on with polite conversation, none of the four ever took the time to ignore the other table and try to get on with their own private time together. Steve found out more about Grace, who was Danny and Rachel's daughter and Danny's face lit up when talking about the ten year old. He told a few stories about what strange things happened in the casino sometimes, while Danny told a few crazy police stories, including one about when he was tazered in Hoboken during Halloween of '02. Steve's favorite had been about a nine year old Danny who had handcuffed his baby brother to the monkey cage at the zoo. It seemed the man had always wanted to join the Force. Steve admired his tenacity to follow a dream like that, despite whatever misgivings people around him might have about a dangerous job, but Danny had grown up with that fear of losing someone close to him as his father was a firefighter. 

Steve couldn't relate, not on that level. His father had been intent on building an empire. Once Doris had divorced him, John McGarrett had thrown himself more into his work and had ignored his children in favor of making money. It wasn't so much that Steve ever feared losing his father; in many ways he already had by the age of fifteen. His one hope was that he might get to know him again before it was too late. But he'd thrown himself into his Navy career after school and worries about his father had taken a backseat to his duty to his country. 

As they finished their desserts, Kamekona gave a sly thumbs up to Steve, to check that everything had been as he intended. It was a good thing he was off to the side and neither Danny nor Rachel were paying attention to the big man, because for Kamekona, 'sly' wasn't really possible. 

Unwilling to have the evening end just yet, Steve offered the couple an invitation. "Why don't we head to the bar, you can try our signature cocktail."

"I don't know," Danny hedged. 

"I'm buying. In fact, I'll cover dinner too, it seems your romantic evening was somewhat sabotaged by us, so let me pick up the tab."

"You don't have to do that," Danny laid a hand on Steve's arm, the warmth seeping through Steve's shirt. 

"I insist."

"Well, in that case, we'd love to join you at the bar," Rachel smiled at him. 

Catherine picked up her napkin and discarded it on the table. "I'm bowing out. Since a dinner meeting didn't exactly happen, I'm pretty sure I'm going to need to get up early for whatever time we reschedule it for," she looked pointedly at Steve, exaggerating her look to get a laugh from Danny and Rachel. 

"Fine, fine, I ruined dinner for everyone," Steve jokingly admitted. "Are you sure, Cath?"

"I'm sure. I'll see you tomorrow." She ruffled Steve's hair, before shaking Danny's hand and kissing Rachel on the cheek, taking her leave.

Steve signaled for Charlie, letting him know in a few hand gestures that the whole lot of them were heading for the bar and then he pointed the way, letting Rachel take the lead in front of them and then touching Danny's back to let him go ahead as well. 

Once seated at the high bar stools, Steve spoke with Adam, the bartender, to let him know that their tables were to be combined and any drinks added to it so Steve could sign off on it. He ordered a round of the house cocktail, obviously named 'The Fountain' and Danny practically grimaced at the blue concoction sitting in front of him. 

"Is it going to make my tongue blue?" He asked, poking at the liquid with the straw.

"I've had plenty and I've never noticed. Try it, trust me, it's really good."

"You're supposed to say that. Marketing ploy and all that."

Rachel dived on in, savoring the taste and agreeing with Steve that it was nice before Danny braved it. He didn't hate it. At least, that was his answer, which Steve took as the most positive result he could hope to get from the Jersey cop. 

Their conversation continued through another two rounds of drinks and became more lighthearted, but all through it, Steve wanted to steer the conversation back to that sticking point he'd noticed between Danny and his wife, but it was difficult to approach it with a brain that was going sluggish, while not being obvious by asking 'so why do you hate the fact that Danny's a cop?'.

"So, why Vegas? Why not take your daughter to Disney World or something?" He asked.

"This trip is about us spending some quality time together," Danny said, yet he barely looked at Rachel, despite the sentence being the kind uttered by someone crazy in love who wanted to stay locked in a bedroom for the majority of their trip. Instead it seemed slightly awkward. 

"You get a decent amount of time off as a cop?"

"Allocated holiday time, sure. I'm in recovery right now, so we thought we'd make the most of it."

"Recovery?" Steve asked as he sucked the cherry from the drink and discarded the stem on his napkin. 

Danny cleared his throat and rubbed his hands together before holding them between his knees. "I was injured last month. I've still got a few more weeks of physio before I'll be cleared to go back to work."

"Do you mind if I ask what happened? I don't want to pry but, I know what it's like to be hurt in the line of duty. I can sympathize."

"Nothing major, I didn't get shot or anything."

"Nothing major? Danny the man threw you out a window." Rachel said, indignant.

"I was fine," Danny sounded exasperated, like he was sick of saying it to her. 

"You could have been paralyzed! As it is you broke your knee and dislocated your shoulder."

"I didn't break my knee," he rolled his eyes at her and turned back to Steve to explain. "My ACL got torn up; I had to have surgery on it. I originally hurt it playing baseball as a kid so it was more susceptible, I guess. Apart from that and the shoulder I had some bruising on my back and a minor concussion but my partner caught the guy and he's on trial for a double homicide, so the good guys won."

"Because that's the important part," Rachel rolled his eyes. 

"He was a killer; of course it was important we caught him. It's my job to keep the streets safe for Grace, okay?"

"You could have died," Rachel said. "And where would that have left Grace? And me?"

"Police work can be dangerous," Steve reasoned, not particularly siding with Rachel but feeling like if he offered something from that viewpoint it might make her reveal more if she thought she had an ally. 

"Sure, of course, but being a Navy SEAL I think you've encountered worse. I've never been shot, touch wood," Danny hit the bar top. "I've been shot at, but never actually shot."

Steve thought back over his career. Yup. "I have been shot," he hummed.

"You see, Rach? I could be like him, but I'm not. I'm careful. I don't want to die."

Steve made a face. "I'm sorry, it seems you've had this argument before. Did I touch a nerve?"

Danny took a breath and ran a hand over his face but Rachel answered for him. "It's a sore point, yes."

"You worry," Steve stated.

"Yes, all the time. I swear it gets worse the longer we're together. My nerves have been frayed all to hell, especially when it's a call from his partner or the precinct."

"They barely call you," Danny reasoned. 

"Which is why it's worse. I don't expect a call from them and when I do get one, I'm always scared it's to say you're dead or dying. And all I can think is 'how do I tell Grace'?"

"You tell her that Danno loves her," Danny said adamantly, giving the phrase his full attention and Steve could tell it was significant, but he didn't feel comfortable asking the history behind it right now. 

"The truth is," Rachel said, breaking eye contact with her husband and turning to Steve. "We came on this vacation to see if we could save our marriage."

"That's great, Rach. Just tell any Tom, Dick or Harry about our problems."

"I'm sorry," Steve said, keeping his face neutral while internally doing a dance of glee. He'd reached the crux of the matter, found out the information he'd been seeking and it was better than he could have hoped. He'd been enjoying Danny's company with Rachel as a tag along, and the easy banter they had would have been enough if the man was only there for a week long vacation if that was it, but now that he knew THIS, well, that changed everything. The game was on. "Now I feel bad for interrupting your dinner when you're trying to rekindle your romance."

"No, don't, Steve. It's not to do with you. So far all we've really done is argue or, at best, be civil with one another since getting here. Over dinner was the first time we've relaxed properly since being here," Danny said, once again a hand landed on Steve's arm as he spoke. Danny may not notice himself doing it, but Steve did and he took it as a good sign that Danny liked him in some way.

"Why not spend some time apart? Maybe that'll help," he suggested and then took a swig of his drink. 

"The point is to spend the time together."

"I don't know, Danny. He might have a point," Rachel said and Danny shot her a strange look, like she'd turned against him.

"How about this," Steve began; sitting forward in his stool and internally congratulating himself on what he was sure would be a brilliant idea. "Why not see if you can spend 24 hours apart. Start at noon tomorrow and see if you can do it until noon on Wednesday. A whole day without speaking, texting or seeing each other."

"And what does that prove?" Danny asked. 

"Well, if you get to the end of the time and look back and realize you didn't miss each other, or feel the need to include the other in what you were doing… or even enjoyed your time better apart, then it might be telling." Danny seemed unsure. Rachel was closer to thinking it was a good idea, but looked like she needed less convincing than Danny. "Look, if this week is about testing your marriage then why not give it a proper test. How about this. I'll hook Rachel up with my best casino host, and she can take care of anything you want to do… spa treatments, shopping, shows, whatever, on me. I'll take care of you, Danny and we can hang out together, maybe try and lose that grand worth of chips you've got."

"I don't know…" Danny rubbed a hand through his hair. 

"I'll sweeten the pot. Not only will I pay for whatever expenses you both rack up during the day, but if you get through it properly, without communicating with each other, I'll give you a hundred grand. Each."

Rachel's eyes perked up at Steve's offer. "It's a deal."

"Rachel!" Danny yelped.

"It's a lot of money, Danny. Money we could use. And it's just 24 hours. Do you really think it'll be that much of a challenge for us?"

Danny shook his head and then narrowed his eyes at Steve, the Detective shining through as he did his best to gain Steve's motives in all this. "What's in it for you?" 

"Nothing, really," Steve shrugged trying to keep neutral.

"You think this is some kind of game? A hundred grand is nothing to you, right? You've got millions, so you decide to play around with the marriage of a couple of poor schmucks for kicks?"

"No, Danny, no, it's not about that. I'm trying to help." He searched for the right thing to say and decided the best way was to put some honesty into it without letting Danny in on his ulterior motives to get the man alone and see what might happen. "My mom and dad divorced when I was a teenager. And at first, sure, I was upset, so was Mary but we quickly realized that their marriage was toxic and mom was far better off away from it. Dad threw himself into work but then, he always preferred that to his family anyway. Mom remarried and she's much happier now, I can see that. Maybe I just don't want to see Grace stuck in a toxic environment like I was those last years of my parents' marriage."

Danny kept his eyes on Steve the whole time, gauging his sincerity and it seemed he was convinced by what he saw since his shoulders loosened as he looked again at Rachel and they seemed to silently agree that they'd go along with Steve's plan. 

"I only offer the money as a way to let you enjoy yourselves rather than just sitting in a room or at a coffee shop bored out of your minds. That's no way to see if you're better together or apart," Steve continued to reason, proud of himself for coming up with a genuine reason for his offer that didn't simply come from his desire to spend time with Danny, no matter the cost.

"And the other money?" Danny asked, eyes skeptical. And it was true, Steve didn't have an excuse to offer them a random pot simply because he had it, and his hope that Rachel would take it for that reason had paid off. 

In the end, he figured he might as well show another piece of himself. "It's payment for spending time with you. To you for putting up with me for 24 hours and to Rachel for the privilege of lending me her husband."

"You're making me sound like a prostitute," Danny said and it came out somewhere between a laugh and apprehension that Steve did see it that way. 

"You're too high maintenance to be a prostitute," he answered, soliciting a laugh from the couple that broke some of the tension around them.

"Fine, okay, I'm in. From noon tomorrow." Danny frowned. "Only thing is, we'll need another room. If we're not going to see each other, we can't be sleeping in the same room."

"Like I said, I'll take care of the expenses, that includes getting you somewhere to stay tomorrow night."

"Okay,"Danny agreed. 

"I'll even have everything drawn up legally. It's a lot of money I'm promising you; I want you to know that I won't suddenly pull it off the table as soon as you're done."

Rachel took a breath and smiled. "It's getting late. If we're to have this big day tomorrow, we should get some sleep."

"I'll meet you at the front desk just before noon. We'll sign the papers and you two can bid each other farewell for a while."


	2. Chapter 2

"I'd say it's a standard contract but I'm not sure of anything being done like this before, and Chin assures me that it's legal," Steve shrugged as he looked over his shoulder at his hovering assistant. 

"I'm a cop, not a lawyer so I've no clue if it'll stand up in court but I'll take your word for it," Danny answered, warily eying both Chin and Kono as they stood behind Steve.

They'd all gathered at the front desk of the hotel at around 11:30 and Danny and Rachel had been taken behind the scenes to Steve's office. The two of them sat in seats opposite Steve's, while Chin and Kono hovered behind the desk, relaxed but always on guard while 'on duty'. 

Rachel leaned forward first and signed her name next to where Steve had pre-signed his. She turned to hand the pen to Danny, who took hold of it and pulled himself forward. He stopped before he signed. "What if-"

Steve didn't let him complete his question. "If there's any kind of emergency with your family, with Grace, the deal can be called off. It's written in." Steve pointed to the section Danny had somehow missed on his read-over. 

"I just wanted to double check," Danny said, turning to Rachel, who motioned with her eyes for him to sign the damn thing already. He rolled his in response and put pen to paper, his eyes darting up to Steve's as he did so. 

"Great, well, onto the fun part," Steve clapped his hands together and motioned for Kono to show Lori in. 

"Steve," she greeted with a smile as she came through the now open door as Steve tidied the contract away in a desk drawer. He really didn't need it, but Danny and Rachel didn't have any reason to believe him and he was well aware of how people saw 'Big Business'. Sure, they were doing this for the sake of it, for fun, for a test to see if it did tell them something important about their relationship, but the money involved was still a factor, and certainly more important to Rachel than to Danny, if her eagerness was anything to go by.

Steve stood, and the other two followed suit, turning to see Lori. 

"Lori," Steve began, "This is Rachel, she's in your capable hands for the next 24 hours, like we discussed earlier this morning. She's your only priority right now. You've got my credit card so go enjoy yourselves with the best distractions Vegas has to offer."

"That is something I do very well," Lori shook Rachel's hand with an easy smile. She had a talent for making people feel at ease, which was good in her business as a casino host, because it meant they spent more money. Of course, in this case, it was Steve's money they'd be spending, but as far as he was concerned, 24 hours alone with Danny would be worth it. He was in deep, and he'd only just met the guy, but his stomach did flips when the man smiled, and he'd already catalogued many of his gestures, like the way he put his hands in his pockets that subtly stretched the material of his slacks over his very nice ass… or the way he spent time on his hair, or how he occasionally bounced on the balls of his feet with pent up energy, and waved his hands around when his emotions heightened.

"I'm sure you'll both hit it off fine while spending my money," Steve laughed. 

"We're going to give it a good try, that's for sure. It's not often the boss lets loose with his credit card, Rachel, you should be honored," Lori gave Rachel a sly smirk. "And I'm thinking we start in the spa with the most expensive treatment I can find."

Lori made her way to the door, ushering Rachel forward. She turned back to Danny, gave him a look and then walked out. Steve didn't know what to make of it, and he certainly didn't know what the two had discussed since the night before, but it seemed odd to him that a married couple wouldn't do _something_ knowing they'd be apart for 24 hours. No kiss, no hug. Maybe their situation was closer to a divorce than he'd realized. 

He did his best to keep his hopes up, but he couldn't keep his mind from beginning to spin the possibilities should Danny consider falling for someone else instead, namely him, if he had any say in the matter.

Danny turned to him expectantly. "So."

"So you're stuck with me for 24 hours, Danny," Steve clapped a hand on Danny's shoulder and left it there a moment too long, squeezing lightly. "Anything you want to do in particular or are you going to leave the planning up to me?"

"Well, since I don't know the area beyond casinos and bars, I guess it's up to you. Besides, I have a feeling that's exactly what you want anyway."

"You think you know me that well?"

Danny's hands went into his pockets. "I do."

"A lot of reading, huh?" Steve teased. 

"I'm a cop, I'm detecting. And what I detect from you is that you need to be in control. I'm just not sure yet if that's a McGarrett trait or a SEAL one."

"Well, I do have some idea for how to spend our time together. First things, first… we hit the floor. You still got that box of chips?"

"Yeah, it's in my room. We can go pick it up."

"Maybe not, Rachel might have popped back there. Kono, can you go pick them up and meet us down on the floor?"

"Sure thing, boss."

"Room 6417."

"I know," Kono said as she left.

*

Steve sat close to Danny at the blackjack table as they worked their way through a thousand dollars worth of chips. They'd already hit roulette and craps in the last two hours and worked their way through three beers each. At points they'd been up, and others they had been down but they'd never won enough for Danny to consider cashing it all in.

As they came to the last of the chips, Danny leaned into Steve more when he reared back in disappointment as he narrowly lost a hand, fingers curling around Steve's arm to steady himself.

The conversation was kept light while they were in public. They'd been able to relax in each others' presence as Danny got used to the situation he was in. Steve was always calm, he'd been trained to get through a lot, so as long as the day went to plan then he knew he'd be fine. He was aware of the fact that he was playing Danny and he did feel a modicum of guilt for it, but in the end, he could only think the result would be worth it. That was, if he was right about where it would all end. 

"That's it, I'm out," Danny announced after he lost another hand, bringing Steve's attention back to the table top. "So much for hitting it big."

"Well, stick with our little bet for the day and you'll still hit it big."

"Pun intended," Danny murmured, or at least, he's sure that's what he heard. He licked his lips to hide a smile. Maybe Danny's cop senses were more aware of Steve's motivations than he'd given him credit for. "So what's next, McGarrett?"

They stood, Steve gave his regards to the dealer and ushered Danny away. He lifted a hand. "I've got something. Something good."

Danny stopped. "Is it safe?"

"It's perfectly safe."

Steve led Danny up as high as the public elevator would go then moved them to an exit that led to an emergency stairwell that could reach the roof. Opening the door, Danny stopped again when he took in the sight of the helicopter sitting there waiting. 

"I thought you said it was safe."

"It is, I've flown hundreds of hours in this thing. I'm a SEAL, I'm fully trained."

"But you've been drinking," Danny dug his heels in as Steve shoved him towards the 'copter. "No one should drink and drive and I'm one hundred percent sure that extends to flying helicopters, too."

"Would you just get in, everything will be fine. You'll like this, I promise."

"He promises…" Danny grumbled as he jumped in, doing up every belt possible and making sure his headset was securely in place as Steve pressed buttons to start up the big machine. "Where are we going, anyway?"

"On a tour, a rather exclusive one. Okay, that's not entirely true, tour companies take people there all the time, but not everyone gets to ride with me in my private helicopter," Steve shot Danny a wide grin as the helicopter began to lift up.

"You mean you don't normally try to impress people by showing them the size of your… helicopter?" Danny asked, almost shouting into his headset to be heard.

Steve looked Danny over, "Very rarely," he winked, before concentrating on his flight. He encouraged Danny to look out over the Strip as they passed over the famous landmarks, but Danny preferred to keep his eyes tightly shut. 

"Can you just tell me when we get there?"

"Are you scared of flying?" Steve asked, now concerned about Danny's well-being.

"No, no I can fly just fine. I'm just not sure about being in this metal death trap with you."

"It's perfectly safe," he reached a hand over and squeezed Danny's thigh. 

"You keep saying that," Danny popped his eyes open and squinted at Steve. 

"Because it's true. And I have no intention of dying today, and I promise not to get you killed. I think if you actually looked outside you might be quite impressed by what you see." He inclined his head to the front, encouragingly.

Slowly, Danny turned his head to look out at the blue sky in front of them, then continued to move his head round so he could look out of the window beside him down to the world below. "So where are we?"

"Well, in the next few minutes, we're going to reach the Hoover Dam."

"We are?" Danny turned and smiled back at Steve, the kind of smile that was infectious, and that Steve hwas hoping to keep seeing on Danny's face for the rest of their time together. "Wait, we're… are we going to the Grand Canyon?"

"You catch on quick."

"Hey, for all I knew, you thought going to some hidden Army base in the Nevada desert would be fun, so forgive me for not going with the obvious helicopter tour destination first."

"I was in the Navy, Danny, why would I go to an Army base?"

The bickering continued while Steve flew them on. Danny had let his mouth take a break long enough to look down over the Dam and open his mouth in awe at the sight, especially from this angle and height. Steve had taken this trip a few times and he still thought it was an amazing sight. But if Danny thought this was good, he'd be a puddle of awe seeing the Canyon. 

As the 'copter continued, Danny's eyes darted between Steve and the windows. He still seemed nervous; his hands would bunch up into fists when Steve changed their direction and the helicopter dipped to the sides, but he had begun to loosen up, most likely thanks to the distraction that their banter was taking. It had been so easy to slip into these kinds of friendly jibes. Steve marveled at it, but used it to convince himself that whatever relationship he had with Danny was meant to be, and special. 

They'd been up in the sky for well over half an hour and were close to their destination, Steve could see it approaching, but only because he was much more aware of where he was than Danny. 

"We're going to be there shortly," he offered.

"Just out of curiosity, you do have enough fuel, right?"

"You ask me that now? When we're almost there?"

"Well, we've gotta get back as well. I don't want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere."

"It's not the middle of nowhere, it's the Grand Canyon. In Arizona. We know exactly where we're going to be and beyond that, there are so many people there that we wouldn't be stranded."

"At no point did you say we had enough fuel."

"We have enough fuel," Steve nodded exasperated. My god, Danny was hard work. Hard, but fun, and he was enjoying himself through all of it. 

"Good, just checking," Danny ran his hands over his legs as he turned away from Steve to look out his side again. "Oh, wow."

Steve glanced over towards him. Even though he could only see a part of his profile, he somehow knew exactly what Danny's face looked like right now. He was incredibly pleased with himself to have given Danny this and his heart flipped as Danny turned with the most endearingly happy look on his face as he took it all in. 

"Amazing, isn't it?" Steve said. 

"It's the Grand Canyon. Okay, I knew it was big, everyone knows it's big but… it's big. It's remarkable." Danny squirmed in his seat; twisting his head around, trying to take in everything he was seeing around him.

Steve took a flight around as much as possible, to let Danny see the best of the natural phenomenon, then slowly began his descent, searching for the landing spot he already knew he was heading to. 

He brought them down steadily, with the smoothest of landings possible. They unbuckled and Steve made sure everything in the cockpit was as it should be before jumping out and over to greet the woman who was waiting for him.

"Laura, is everything set up?" He asked as he shook her hand and kissed her on the cheek. 

"Just as you asked, Sir," she put her hands behind her back, straightening her posture and looking past Steve at Danny who was approaching from behind. 

"How many times have I told you about that?" He asked, meaning about her calling him 'Sir'.

"Plenty. But it's just how I was raised," she shrugged.

"You make me feel like an old man, Laura."

She twisted her mouth as she turned her head to look at his. "Well, there's a little bit of grey in there."

He brought his hand to his temple warily. He was aware of the wisps of silver, but he was hyper aware of his own head, he didn't realize everyone else noticed them so clearly too. 

"It's distinguished, you know?" Danny said, gesturing up. "Might help. People might think you're smarter than you really are. Of course, you could give in and get them fixed, I'm pretty sure you can afford it."

"Like I'm going to take hair advice from someone who uses more product than all the women I know combined."

In response, Danny merely ran his hands over his hair in an imitation of the Fonz. "Jealousy doesn't become you," he said with a wink before changing the subject. "So why are we here, what are we doing?"

"We are having a late lunch," Steve gestured for Danny to follow Laura. 

Once they'd walked a little further down the rocky surface, their destination came more into sight. Laura had laid out a classic looking picnic for them, with a gingham cloth and big basket. The lid was open to reveal the plates and cutlery attached to it and inside was a cooler with champagne and a selection of finger foods to keep their hunger at bay. 

They settled down, both thanking Laura for her help. Danny made a point of trying to include her but she refused with a small blush and headed off back to the Lodge where she worked, telling them she'd be back once they'd left to clean up. 

Although it was a touristy area, they were alone in their spot, with only the specks of humans seen moving around further down. 

Steve opened the champagne with a flourish, eliciting giggles from the both of them as it spilled over and barely got more than foam into the glasses at first. The food was incredible, even if it was just basic sandwiches and snacks and they ate companionably. 

"I gotta ask," Danny started, putting his plate aside, stretching his arms back to lean on them, his biceps accented as he held his weight up. "A picnic at one of the world's most beautiful places. Not exactly what I expected you to think of for a day of fun."

"And what did you expect?" Steve asked, genuinely interested. 

"Well, the gambling made sense. After that, unless it was two guys shouting over the baseball at a sports bar, or a strip club, then I figured some crazy SEAL thing would be to your liking."

"What kind of crazy SEAL thing?"

"I don't know. I'm not a crazy SEAL," Danny answered. 

"Well, today is not about me, it's about you. And it's about relaxing, which I think this is. It's about getting away from your wife… which this is. And it's about letting you see what else there is out there."

Danny cleared his throat and looked around himself before meeting Steve's eyes again. "I knew champagne picnics existed. I knew you existed. But I never thought to put them together, let alone include myself in the picture. I guess you really are showing me something different. Unexpected. Maybe there is something else out there."

Steve didn't know whether to hope Danny had interpreted his veiled words in the way he'd truly meant or if it was all said innocently, but looking into his eyes gave him hope. There was something there between them and surely Danny was feeling it too. Surely he wasn't alone in this. The sparks were too bright, too affecting, to thrum only through his own body. 

"So while we're discussing the reasons behind doing this, have you thought much about Rachel?"

"It's only been, what, four or five hours?"

"You're avoiding the question."

Danny took a sip of champagne and a deep breath before saying anything. "No, not much. I thought about Gracie a lot, thinking how much she'd have loved this part of the trip, but not Rachel so much, no. Maybe you were right, maybe the time apart will do us good. At any rate, it's nice to enjoy the company of an adult that I'm not arguing with."

"You like me," Steve grinned. 

"I tolerate you. You and your stupid magazine face. And clearly I'm in it for the champagne and caviar lifestyle you're introducing me to. I'm using you," Danny's face belied his words, the humor shining through. 

"You like me," Steve said again before getting a little more serious. "You know I'm used to people liking me for my money. It's difficult to get close to people when you don't know their intentions, whether they like you for you or because they want something from you. With you, it's been different. Right from when we first talked you never took any bullshit, didn't care whether I was a CEO or a street cleaner."

"Way I see it, there's not a difference. Working homicide shows you that. Integrity, generosity, kindness… those can be shown by everyone, and people can be dicks no matter how much money they have or not. No one is better than anyone else. You must have seen the same thing in the SEALs… the brutality that humans can reign over others, or that one act of kindness from someone unexpected." Danny shrugged off his own rather profound words as if it was all just a conversation about what to have for dinner and Steve felt his heart lurch again as Danny showed that beneath the brusque Jersey cop exterior, was a heart of gold. Steve longed to reach out and touch it, to possess it, but he held back, knowing it wasn't his place to do so. Not yet. 

"Like I said, that's why I like you Danny," Steve drained the last of his glass. "I feel like I know how you think."

"You do, do you? You're inside my head, huh? What am I thinking now?"

Steve looked long and hard at Danny, a smug grin plastered on his face as he looked him up and down appreciatively and raised his eyebrows. "You're thinking about how much you like me too. Only you won't say it. You'll just tell me I'm wrong and that you really don't."

"Wrong," Danny said, putting his empty glass aside and popping the last grape into his mouth. "I was thinking about the Jets."

*

They had packed up themselves so as not to leave Laura much of a mess, even if it was her job, but they were also aware of the environment and how the breeze could pick up their litter and scatter it. Once that was done, Steve led Danny on a walk further around, the Lodge coming into view more clearly and they took part of a trail that led down where horses or mules normally carried tourists. 

Steve ushered Danny nearer to the edge and the other man clung to him for dear life as they explored the distance down into the canyon. Steve shamelessly enjoyed having Danny close, and made sure to steer them near the edge again so he could feel Danny's warmth pressed against him once more, his arm curled around Steve's for safety.

They found a small bench and sat for a few minutes, taking everything in, before Steve looked at his watch and pronounced that they should be getting back. It took longer than he realized to make it back to the 'copter. At least this time, Danny didn't grumble so much about the flight. Whether he was more trusting of Steve now, or whether he just wanted to get back to Vegas, Steve didn't know. 

"Once we've landed back at the hotel, I've got a limo waiting to pick us up out front."

"Where are we going?"

"A friend of mine does driving experiences. You ever been behind the wheel of a Lamborghini? Or a Pagani?"

"The best I've ever been behind is a Chevy."

"Well then, we'll just have to see what all those police pursuit training courses have done for you."

*

Danny was genuinely excited at the prospect of driving super cars, which had helped ease the tension in his body as they flew back into Vegas, allowing him to actually enjoy the sight of the Strip from above this time. 

Once landed, Chin approached Steve, letting him know everything was still fine in the hotel, had him sign two documents as they passed and then accompanied them back down to the lobby floor and out the front door to where the limo was waiting. 

The driver held the back door open for them as they clambered inside. Steve reached for a bottle of water for himself, and one for Danny.

"No beer?" 

"There's some in here, but that's for after. You're the one who doesn't want to drink and drive."

"Well remembered. Maybe my good influence will rub off on you."

"You rubbing off on me is a perfectly acceptable result as far as I'm concerned."

They did it again. The sparking, the stupid looks, Steve was sure Danny looked at least a little bit like how Steve felt and the more he threw in the innuendos and sexual references, the more pleasing the atmosphere between them was. It never felt awkward.

"So this friend of yours?"

"Wade. He was a SEAL, now he takes tourists driving in super cars for a living."

"So this is like, one of those 'experience' things they have brochures for in the lobby?"

"Yes and no. Yes, he does those, but no, that's not what we're doing. We're getting private access. He knows if we crash the cars I can pay to fix them or get new ones for him, so he's not exactly worried about letting us out onto the track."

Steve threw an arm up onto the back of the seat, his hand achingly close to Danny's neck and he had to stop himself from reaching out to massage into the skin behind the open shirt collar. 

They were greeted by Wade, who treated Steve like the old friend he was. He introduced them both to the cars they could drive. They were being allowed access to a Bugati Veyron, and a Lamborghini Aventador, and the idea was that they could both drive the track at the same time then swap cars. 

Wade ran them through how the cars worked and gave out some of the statistics like he would with the tourists. Steve had told him that Danny was a cop and had training, plus he already knew what Steve was capable of behind the wheel of a car, so he let them be to enjoy the stupidly expensive cars in peace.

They were linked up with radios so they could talk to each other through their helmets. The noises Danny made in Steve's ear were thrilling, almost deafening at times, and then occasionally made his dick pay attention as they softened to groans that could have come right out of a porno. 

Both of them were exhilarated when they switched cars, and then did their best to outdo the other's speed record and push the cars to their limits. 

As they pulled off their helmets and made their way back to Wade, thankfully doing no damage to the cars beyond basic wear and tear, Danny pulled the man into a hug and thanked him for letting them play. 

"Hey, I'm the one who thought of it, and paid for it, yet you go hugging a man you've spoken all of ten words to today?"

"You want one too?" Danny beamed at Steve, still on a high from the driving. 

"I'm not saying that, I'm just saying… I think I deserve something."

"Come here," Danny motioned, his arms outstretched, his fingers twitching in invitation. Steve stepped into the offered hug like a starving man and clutched tightly around Danny, taking the chance to breathe deep against Danny's neck, closing his eyes to enjoy the moment. 

"That's more like it," Steve said, standing back, keeping one hand on Danny's shoulder. 

"I never knew you were so needy," Danny put his hands in his pockets. "Big, bad Navy SEAL enjoying cuddles. It's cute, you're all mushy inside."

Wade hid a smile behind his hand, something Steve was getting used to seeing others do as he spoke with Danny, and Steve thanked him again and made sure to reiterate that he owed the man one, before they headed back to the car. 

Inside again, he opened up the beers and they toasted the day with a clink of bottle necks. 

"So what's next on the agenda?"

"Next, we go shopping," Steve announced. 

"You know I'm not a girl, right? The picnic was great, but shopping?"

"We need to get you a new suit for tonight. I know you brought stuff with you, but you're not going back to your room since Rachel could easily run into you and you'd lose our bet so, we're going to have to buy you a new one."

"Back at the hotel?"

Steve nodded. "We'll hit the Promenade. It's up to you where we go though… Armani, Hugo Boss, there's plenty of choice."

*

As Danny stood in the Armani store being helped by the personal shopper to make sure he was happy with the choices, he turned to Steve, who was sitting while watching and offering his own opinions. 

"So where are we going tonight anyway? Maybe I should think about what I'm wearing to pair with the atmosphere."

"Nui," Steve answered. When Danny gave him a confused look back he clarified. "It's where we're eating. Nui."

"Isn't that place impossible to get into? No wait, don't answer that. I'm forgetting you own the whole place, of course you can get into the obscenely expensive restaurant."

Danny was helped into a jacket and he turned to look at the result in the mirror. He didn't seem sure, so Steve stood and came up behind him, looking him over, enjoying the opportunity considering he had a very valid reason to do so. 

"What do you think?" Danny asked. 

"It's missing something, I dunno, I think we can do better."

Their personal shopper looked them over, his hand over his mouth as he thought and then the lightbulb seemed to go off. He asked Danny to follow him to the changing area and handed through what looked like a dark grey suit and light blue shirt.

A few minutes later, Danny came out looking amazing enough to make Steve's jaw drop. What was even better was the fact that it was a three piece-suit and as Danny moved around in front of the mirror, trying to see all the angles, he took off the jacket and it was like porn to Steve as he saw the cut of the vest over Danny's trim waist, accenting his strong shoulders and how his body tapered down. 

"That's the one," Steve said in a rush, mouth dry. 

"You sure?" 

"Positive," he turned away abruptly and gave his attention to sorting out payment, making sure it went onto the corporate bill and letting Danny sort himself out. 

He turned to see Danny finish admiring it, making sure the shoes he was getting also were comfortable as he walked about. "Yeah, I like it. It's not bad," Danny nodded to himself, catching Steve's eyes in the mirror. 

Steve just gave him a pleased look and a thumbs up before turning back to the assistant and rolling his eyes. "Not bad, the man says, like he's not gorgeous wearing that," he murmured closer to the young man, knowing Danny couldn't hear as he got changed again, and the assistant readily agreed.

Danny reappeared, his new purchase in a suit bag hanging over his arm as he approached where Steve was leaning on the counter waiting. "What about you?"

"I've already put aside what I'm wearing tonight," Steve said as they walked out together and towards the lobby. 

"So, am I getting another room or something? I can't exactly get ready down here."

"I'm taking you up to my suite. You'll be staying with me tonight anyway," before Danny could say anything about him being presumptuous, Steve continued. "There's plenty of room. I own the place, remember?"

"Yeah, it's hard to forget that," Danny said as they got into an elevator. 

Steve dug in his pocket for his key card, which was needed to use in the slot by the floor number in order to access the penthouse. "The bed's amazing. It's one of those new things NASA came up with. Since they stopped sending people to the moon it's like they've concentrated on taking comfort to a whole new level. You should try it."

"Try your bed?"

Danny gave Steve a zinging look and Steve swallowed dry, letting the moment hang between them. 

"Yeah."


	3. Chapter 3

There was more than one penthouse but naturally, Steve was living in the one he considered the most basic. He didn't need much, he was used to cramped quarters from his time in the Navy, so the comfort levels he had now were enough and he left the other three grandiose suites for hotel guests. They made more money that way anyway. 

It was weird enough that he lived in his own hotel. But then, his penthouse suite was nicer than a lot of houses and his commute was made a lot easier. 

They exited the elevator into a corridor that looked much like any other in the hotel, except it was decorated with more expensive artworks. There were four doors along it, spaced out much farther than you'd usually see. Steve's was one of the two further away ones. 

He led Danny forward with a hand on his back and used his key card again to get inside and he let Danny's eyes explore what he saw. 

The main part of the suite was open plan, with a sunken living space with a massive, long couch and two arm chairs. In front of them was a giant plasma TV with anything else you could think to have attached for games, DVDs and even an old VCR. Along the back wall was a full decked-out and spacious kitchen, done in bright airy colors with marble surfaces. The bedroom and bathroom doors led off down a short corridor that also housed closet spaces.

The best thing was when he told Danny to turn further to his right where more of the suite opened up and from there was a small infinity pool that could be seen through a glass wall and door that muffled the noise of the cascading water, and off to the side of that on what was outside decking, there was a Jacuzzi as well as an area with a table and two chairs facing the sun. Or at least, where it would normally face the sun but it was getting late and the sun was currently sinking on the horizon. 

Steve loved the pool more than anything else. It wasn't large, it certainly had nothing on the ocean out the back door at his mom's place in Hawaii, but it gave him somewhere to get some exercise in the morning if he didn't feel like using one of the main pools.

He'd converted one of the closet spaces into a mini gym too, with weights and a treadmill for days he couldn't get outside for a run either, but he didn't use that so much. 

Danny dropped his suit bag over the back of an arm chair and went to have a closer look at the decking and took in the view. You couldn't see much of the Strip from here, which Steve liked because it made it more private, but there was still plenty of Vegas on view to enjoy. 

"Have a good look around, feel free to use anything you want while you're here," Steve said as he put his key card in the small bowl he kept on a table by the door. "The master bedroom is the furthest down the hall, there's another one on the left, both are en suite, and there's some storage spaces in the other doors."

Danny had moved to circle around the kitchen area and was coming out the other side of it so Steve met him there and gestured to the hallway to let Danny head down in front of him. 

He didn't bother showing him the other bedroom first as he hoped it wouldn't be used if everything continued as it had been. He just showed Danny through the door of his own and let the blond marvel at the size of the bed. It was a king size, or bigger? Steve didn't know sizes but it was big enough for him to sometimes feel like even he was drowning in it. 

Steve grinned, "Seriously, try it out. You'll never want to leave."

"I really should take your word for it and not give into temptation, but what the hell, let's find out how the other half lives," Danny looked up at Steve then back to the bed. 

He sat gingerly at first, moving up and down to test it, then kicked off his shoes and swung his legs up, scooting further onto the mattress. He moved his head around to get comfortable and jiggled around before settling. 

"Wow."

"I told you."

"You're right, I never want to leave. I'm moving in. Get me a job where I can stay in bed all day that's legal and I'm never standing up ever again. What's your policy on crumbs?" He lifted his head at the last question. 

Steve just shook his head ruefully at Danny's words and clambered onto the lush mattress on his hands and knees and crawled up beside where Danny was. He hovered over him, looking down and meeting Danny's eyes with humor. "We'll get one of those small vacuum things."

He collapsed beside Danny, laying on his side, with his arm under him on the pillow holding his head up as he smiled down at him. Danny opened his mouth as if to say something and thought better of it, closing it again with a frown then bringing himself up onto his elbows and turning to Steve. 

"When's dinner booked for?"

"Nine."

"What time is it now?"

"Why? You thinking of something we can do to pass some more time? Another distraction?" Steve looked at Danny's lips as he licked his own. Danny was so temptingly close, and in his bed. He had his best opportunity to just reach out, to move forward, to run his hands over Danny, to press his lips over every inch of his body.

"I was thinking about having enough time for a shower first," Danny said, for the first time showing some nerves while close to Steve. It was endearing, and it was just another thing he enjoyed bringing out in Danny but he had to be careful. He didn't want to do something when Danny maybe wasn't ready for it yet. He held back, showing restraint he knew he owed to his training, and instead did nothing more than run a finger down Danny's bare arm. 

"Yeah, there's time. I should grab one too."

"Okay," Danny looked at Steve a moment longer then sat up and pushed himself from the bed. Steve watched him head to the door and turn, giving a push to the door he hadn't been through yet into the spare room, turning on the light and disappearing. 

Steve lay back and thought over what had just happened. He pushed a hand against the front of his trousers, knowing he had to keep himself in check. There was a plan that shouldn't be deviated from. He was at a good juncture with Danny and it was a bad idea to jump in until he was entirely sure he wouldn't be rejected.

As he sat on the edge of the bed, considering the clothing he'd left out earlier in the morning that was sitting on a nearby chair, he heard Danny's voice coming closer until he was standing in the doorway. "Okay, so it might be a coincidence, but… all the stuff in here. It's the same products I use."

"I had housekeeping take note of what you used and had them stock that for you."

"Oh, okay," Danny disappeared, then reappeared a moment later. "Wait, you had housekeeping spy on my stuff?"

"Yeah," Steve said, like it meant nothing in particular. 

"I… you do know that's… it must be illegal."

"Pretty sure it's not."

"Well, whatever, it's creepy." Once again Danny ducked behind the door, then put his head back around it. "But thank you."

Steve laughed to himself as he pushed to his feet and headed into the shower. Under the hot spray he kept thinking about how Danny was not far away doing the exact same thing, and how it would be a lot more fun if they were doing it together. His dick had been in a constant state of frustration all day and he needed to take the edge off to make it through, so he took himself in hand and jerked off to thoughts of what it would be like to be back in his bed with Danny, naked, wet, hot skin against hot skin…

He dressed quickly in a blue suit with a matching lighter colored shirt. It was a relaxed look but still smart and the cut of the suit looked good on him. He had towel dried his hair and run his fingers through it to give it a slightly messy look and then left it alone. He turned left and right to check himself out in the mirror and decided that he looked pretty good. Anytime the paparazzi caught him in swim trunks there were always favorable headlines, so he knew if he put effort in, then he should be able to impress Danny

He made his way out of the room, calling into the other one as he passed. "You ready, Danny?"

"Just a minute," came the response. 

He walked into the kitchen area and leaned forward on the counter until he heard steps coming from behind him. He straightened up, getting a good look at Danny. Just like before, he felt a sizzle go through him as he saw the cut of the new suit on Danny's figure. Now that he'd showered and put his hair in whatever perfect shape he had decided on, he somehow looked ten times hotter than Steve had thought possible. 

"You look good," Steve said, feeling like an idiot when that was the best he could come up with. 

Danny looked him over. "You clean up nice, babe. I didn't know you had it in you."

"What did you expect, camo paint and BDUs?"

"Well, it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility. You do run a hotel wearing cargo pants, so nothing surprises me."

"Come on," Steve steered Danny out of the room, his hand skimming further down Danny's back as they began walking down the corridor.

They arrived at Nui's feeling relaxed and at ease with each other again. Danny's earlier nerves seemed to have melted away and now he touched Steve's arm comfortably again. They ordered an expensive wine and chose starters and mains. Their waiter was one Steve had seen before, but was newer and seemed a little nervous to be serving his boss. Normally Steve never minded these things, it happened, but it felt a little distracting when he just wanted to concentrate on Danny. 

"So, what does Nui actually mean?" Danny asked as they shared each others' starters, leaning over the small table; fork in hand for another bite. 

"It's Hawaiian."

"I gathered that much going by the theme of the resort," Danny interrupted. 

Steve carried on. 'It means, 'great' or 'supreme'… pretty much the highest, like in rank. For royalty."

"Ah, so you named your best restaurant… 'The Best'."

"Pretty much," Steve grinned as he swirled his fork over Danny's plate. "Do you know the story behind the name of the hotel?"

"Not really. And any guesses I can make are all very well, but hearing it from the owner would make sense."

"Well, I was named after my grandfather, who died on the Arizona. My father named a lot of things after family, and knowing that he wanted to pass everything onto me and Mary, and that he'd start me off with this resort, he thought it fitting to tie us together somehow. So he named it The Pearl, the 'jewel in our company's crown', as he put it. So it's named after Pearl Harbor, where his father, my namesake, died."

"That doesn't feel a little morbid to you?" Danny asked, not making light of it, but seeming curious and sensitive to the conversation and history. 

Steve shrugged. "If I think about it, maybe a little. But it's an honor. The Pearl is important. To me and my family. And naming it as he did, it's still subtle. That's how he wanted this whole place. Stylish, classic elegance but with Island flavor."

"I'd say you've done a good job. There's only one problem that I've found so far."

"So far? Okay, I'll bite, what's wrong with the place?"

"On Sunday we had lunch at that pizza place you've got. Your special is ham and pineapple."

"What's wrong with that? We make a great ham and pineapple."

"Uh, no. No, you do not. And I'll tell you why. It's because ham and pineapple do not belong on pizza. I'll allow a bit of pepperoni, but not ham and not fruit. That's just wrong. And you should trust me on this, I'm from Jersey, we know pizza."

"People like it."

"Well, people are wrong," Danny shrugged and smiled as he took the last bite from Steve's dish.

Their plates were taken away with only a slight wobble from the waiter as he knocked Steve's wine glass a little. Fast hands caught it and he impressed himself with the act. He leaned his elbows on the table to move closer to Danny, wanting his attention to be solely on him. The restaurant was designed in dark red and brown tones, giving the area a warmth that was augmented by the candles in the middle of the tables. 

It was a small area with an intimate setting. There were few tables and they were spaced so that, despite the quiet around them, they could talk without worrying about other guests hearing conversations. 

By the time their main courses arrived, they were on their second glass of wine and were telling stories from their pasts. Steve talked about his SEAL buddies and about his early training. He was trying to find things that weren't classified. Danny spoke of his time at the Police Academy and accidentally let slip about a charity calendar that Steve was now determined to hunt up, even if it meant blackmailing Danny's sister for a copy. 

As they ate they continued to talk and Steve did his best to stay clear of conversation about Rachel, not wanting Danny to think about his wife. Instead they moved onto more about their childhoods, their sisters, their school friends. Danny briefly mentioned that he'd lost his best friend as a teenager, but didn't go into more detail. 

In an effort to bring the conversation to something happy again, Steve ordered their desserts and brought the conversation round to just what Danny did to keep in shape if he didn't swim. Which then lead into sports which was a safe topic until they began debating who the best quarterbacks were. 

Steve knew the desserts would be a hit. What arrived at the table was a selection of miniatures, so they could enjoy the bite size treats between them. The plate was placed between them, and they were given two smaller side plates to use. Danny had pulled his wine glass closer and began deciding what to try putting a lot of effort into his thought process. 

Steve told him to try the mini malasadas. "They're like a donut. And you are a cop, after all."

"Thanks, that's original."

"Oh, you'll thank me," Steve said confidently as he popped a miniature strawberry tart into his mouth, watching Danny the whole time. 

After Danny swallowed the small pastry he licked his thumb and forefinger and made an appreciative sound that reverberated around Steve's body. "It's fried and it tastes good. Can't go wrong. Why aren't there more of them on this plate?"

"It's a sampler, that's the point of a sampler."

"Well, tell them I'd like to sample another few."

Steve gestured to their waiter and asked him to bring more of them out. Once the young man disappeared Danny rolled his eyes. "You know, I didn't really mean for you to do that." His hand came across the table to rest on Steve's.

In that moment, feeling happy for giving Danny something he liked, even if it was just that small thing, he turned his hand and laced their fingers together. "I like doing things that make you happy."

Danny ducked his head, but he left his hand where it was. More than that, he gave it a reassuring squeeze as he lifted his blushing face back to Steve's. "You know we're not even halfway through the 24 hours. You really think you can keep this up?"

"Keep what up?"

"Making me happy. I gotta say you've done a stellar job so far. I never expected this much when you came up with this last night."

"You honestly thought it would be gambling and sports bars?"

"No, I guess not," Danny admitted. "I really didn't know what to think. I didn't know what was in it for you. I didn't know what you wanted, for me or yourself."

Steve lifted their hands, bracing his elbow on the table; he watched their twined hands and twisted his in Danny's to change the hold. "How about now? You think you have a better idea of what might be in it for me?"

He finally looked up at Danny, whose eyes were open and honest, the blue darkened by the low light around them. "I have an idea, I just… I could be wrong. I don't know you very well."

Steve took a breath and blew it out slowly, holding tightly to Danny's hand. "Danny I want… look, I'm going to do something, right now. And there's a possibility that you might hit me, but I think it's…"

He didn't finish his sentence; it hung between them with the vague possibilities of how he might have ended it. But the best way to do so was what he couldn't help but do. He leant forward over the table, pulling on Danny's hand to make Danny come closer, and then he lightly brushed their lips together, all the while aware of the table edge digging into his stomach and the flame from the candle giving off a warmth that he could feel under his chin. But none of that mattered as he concentrated on the feel of Danny's lips against his and the satisfaction in having Danny go with him, not rearing back, not hitting him, not even seeming remotely surprised by the act. As he pulled back, he opened his eyes; Danny's face a blur in its closeness.

He sat back, still keeping Danny's hand in his, while Danny remained leaning forward, elbows over the table. 

"You're not going to punch me are you?" Steve asked.

"No, I'm not going to punch you. Are you going to let go of my hand?" 

"No," Steve smiled and Danny returned it tentatively. He could see the conflict in the other man's eyes and he just knew he was thinking about his marriage again. The whole point may be to distract him from it, to show him that it was toxic and he was better off getting divorced, but Danny was a moral man. His marriage may be failing, but he still had a wife. Would he go further?

"Come on," Steve said, pulling on Danny again, making sure to break him out of his thoughts and back onto them. "There's still something I had planned for tonight."

As they passed the maitre'd he told her to make sure the table was taken care of in the usual way, then he and Danny made their way to the lobby and out the door. He kept a grip on Danny's hand the whole time, not caring who saw them together, not worrying about the curious looks from the few tourists milling around the place who might recognize him.

The limo was out front again and they piled once more into the back, taking off their jackets as they did and letting them drop to one of the side-facing seats. The bar inside had been restocked and the driver already knew what Steve wanted. 

"We're going out again?"

"Kind of," Steve replied, this time indulging and letting the arm he flung over the back of the seat go around Danny's shoulders. "I just thought we'd take a little nighttime tour of the city. Getting to see it all when it's lit up and doing it in style."

He reached forward, reluctantly pulling his arm back from where it was comfortably around Danny, and he grabbed two glasses, some ice, and some good scotch. He poured two fingers for each of them and they clinked the glasses together in a toast before savoring the smooth taste as it went down. It didn't take long for them to drain the glasses and he refilled them.

Danny looked at his. "I don't think we're supposed to drink something this expensive so fast."

"I can afford it," Steve shrugged. "Chug it. Go on."

Danny narrowed his eyes at Steve then drained his glass again, like he was responding to a dare, and then coughed, his eyes watering. Steve laughed. He'd had this brand a lot, so he was used to the sting and it didn't affect him so much.

He opened beers for them to chase the stronger alcohol down and he let Danny enjoy the view out of the windows. Once they had passed down the majority of the Strip, he pointed up to the sun roof. 

"You want to stand up?"

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea. I think I'm feeling a little woozy from the booze."

"Come on, everyone has to do it at least once in their lives, right?"

"You've done it before? Let me guess, in your misspent and drunken youth?"

"More like shore leave but it was certainly drunken and I was younger. Just stand up and poke your head out. It's a tradition."

"Fine," Danny said, struggling to his feet and taking the opportunity to do so more successfully when they were stopped at a red light. He fumbled with the latch and opened it up before pulling himself up and out. "The things you make me do," he mumbled on his way up.

Steve followed him, sliding his body into the space behind and slightly to the side of Danny, and he held on with one hand on the hood and the other around Danny's waist. "It's pretty," he said, looking at Danny rather than their surroundings. 

"It's got a certain charm," Danny responded, looking around and then turning his head back to Steve, their eyes lingering, locked together. As the car moved again, Danny stumbled back into Steve, who tightened his grip and held on to keep them upright. "You okay?" Danny asked.

"Just fine," Steve said with a smile. "You stay up here. I'm going to make sure our beers haven't fallen over."

"Okay," Danny nodded.

Once Steve disappeared back down, he gestured to the driver. There was a move Steve had, he wasn't especially proud of using it on Danny. All day so far he'd been a lot more original, but this one move was a classic and using it made sense. 

At the next intersection, the driver made a point of braking more harshly than necessary, making Danny overbalance more than he expected and he fell back inside the limo and landed on top of Steve with a thump. Steve caught him, expertly, falling to the side with their momentum and ending up sprawled on top of Danny on the seat.

"What the hell was that?" Danny asked. 

"Guess he thought he'd make it before it went to red. No such luck."

"Are you going to let me up anytime soon?"

"Not if I can help it," Steve flirted. He skirted a hand over Danny's chest and down, hooking a finger in his belt but purposely not letting himself feel anything lower, knowing if he did that he'd never want to stop, and having sex in the limo wasn't a good idea. 

Danny tried to make himself more comfortable under Steve, stretching a leg out, which just let Steve in closer to him. He pushed himself up, able to get his head resting in the crook between the seat and the door. 

Steve leaned in to kiss Danny again, this time with more promise, licking his way into Danny's mouth, slow, relaxed, lazy. He felt no need to build anything between them, happy to enjoy making out in the back of the car, pleased to feel Danny answer him with soft moans and a hand cupping Steve's cheek. 

Danny pushed up against Steve, raising them back to a sitting position. At first, he was worried that he was being pushed away, but Danny's hand kept a hold of him, stroking into his hair and keeping Steve close.

Steve pulled Danny on top of him, helping him straddle his thighs without either of them looking, too busy with lips and tongues and hands to pay attention to anything except getting closer. Once he had Danny on top of him, Steve was able to run hands soothingly over Danny's cloth covered back. He could feel where the material of the shirt was tight over warm muscle.

Eventually the need for proper breath overtook them and they pulled apart, but only far enough to lean their foreheads together and pant, their breath mingling between them. Steve hummed in contented satisfaction. He nipped at Danny's lips, the side of his mouth, down into his neck before settling there, nose buried deep and savoring the feeling of Danny all around him. This was what he wanted, and the night wasn't over yet.

"Take us home, driver," he called out before returning to holding Danny close, tightening his arms around Danny's back. 

"God, you look good tonight," Danny murmured into Steve's ear. "It's like you walked out of a photoshopped magazine ad for aftershave. How do you even do that?"

"You're one to talk," Steve answered. "If you were holding a cigar and a glass of bourbon, you could inspire a whole generation to become chain-smoking alcoholics."

Danny laughed and slipped to the side, one leg still thrown over Steve's, and an arm still over his chest and he laid his head on Steve's shoulder. It fit, and it felt right to have him there and once more Steve just knew that Danny's face was relaxed even without looking at him. 

The limo pulled up again outside the hotel entrance. Both of them were so intent on the other than they didn't register anything unusual outside as Steve opened the door and got out, pulling Danny behind him. It wasn't until the first camera flash that he realized his mistake. 

In an instant, Chin was there to help.

They'd left their jackets inside the car and had no means to shield themselves. Steve wasn't worried for himself, he'd been in gossip magazines plenty of times before and had long ago resigned himself to the world basing opinions on him depending on what they read, but Danny didn't need this right now. 

He hugged Danny close to him, doing his best to hide him from the three prying paps as they were taken inside where Kono met them just inside the door and Chin blocked the camera views with his hands. Kono stayed with them until they reached the elevator bank and gave Steve a hopeful smile.

"What the hell was that about?" Steve snapped at her, still hugging Danny to him in his protective mode. 

"Your waiter decided he could cash in on telling TMZ that you had a new boyfriend."

"I'm not his boyfriend," Danny protested but Steve's voice interrupted him and was louder. 

"Fire his ass!"

"Already done, Chin took care of it while you were out."

"Wait, we weren't gone that long, surely?" Danny asked, confused at the speed in which the paparazzi could respond.

"Rumors spread fast," Steve sighed. "And if he emailed them when we arrived for dinner, that's plenty of time to get local photographers on the case. I'm so sorry, Danny. I thought my staff was better than that."

"It's not your fault," Danny said, his hand patting Steve's chest as the elevator dinged for them to get on. 

"Just stay in the rest of the night, huh?" Kono suggested. "It'll blow over."

They backed up into the elevator and Steve got his key card out again. Once they were moving, he slammed a hand onto the wall. "Damnit!"

"Hey," Danny put a hand on his back. "It's fine, I don't even think they got us, Chin seems pretty good at the bodyguard thing."

"I may be used to the intrusion but sometimes..." Steve balled up a fist. "No one seems to care about privacy anymore. It shouldn't matter if I'm in my home or outside, I'd like to actually enjoy myself without worrying there are cameras in the bushes."

"I'm sorry."

"What have you got to be sorry for?"

"I don't know… aren't we all guilty of encouraging it if we pick up magazines or flick to the gossip channels on TV?"

"Come here," Steve pulled Danny in again. "I won't let it spoil our evening. Not when it's been going so well." He teased at Danny's lips, lingering over them, their noses brushing gently.

"If we can't go outside, what else can we do? It's late, but it's not _that_ late."

"I do have a really nice Jacuzzi…" Steve baited.

"I don't have any trunks."

"Who said anything about swim wear?"

Steve somehow got Danny into the penthouse, with very little memory of the journey from elevator to the door. He let Danny go in first, and dropped his card on the side table, picking up a remote control in its place. 

"Here, I've got something good." He pressed a button and a low, sultry beat started as music kicked in around them at just the right volume. 

"Ah, very nice," Danny said, looking for the speakers but not finding them as they were disguised in the walls. "You got the lights on dimmer switches too?"

"Now that you mention it…" Steve pressed a button to lower the lights to a pre-set level, giving them an intimate feel again. 

He dropped the remote back onto the table and sidled up behind Danny, one arm sliding around his waist, while he let the back of his other hand trail down Danny's arm before it returned to his shoulder and journeyed down his chest. 

Danny leaned back into the touch, tilting his head to let it rest on Steve's shoulder, content. Steve's fingers played with the buttons on Danny's vest, popping each one slowly until it was open. He smoothed his hands up Danny's body and held lightly to the material at the shoulders before letting it slip over and down his arms to pool on the floor between them. He then returned to do the same with Danny's shirt, opening it with one hand and letting the other follow, his palm pressing against hot skin, feeling the movement under him as Danny breathed, and feeling the quickening of his heart beat. 

As the shirt opened, revealing more of Danny, he rested his chin on Danny's shoulder, turning into him and beginning to trail light kisses over his neck, down over his collarbone and onto his now exposed shoulder. His hands reached the waistband of Danny's pants, and his fingers curled into the material of the shirt and pulled it out, getting to the last two buttons, splaying the shirt open and yanking it down Danny's arms with more force than he'd used on the waistcoat. 

Deft fingers moved onto the buckle of Danny's belt and he swayed them both as he dragged it from around Danny's body to let it join everything else gathering on the floor. 

Danny's free arm curled around Steve's, halting his progress for a moment just before it popped the button above the zip of his trousers. 

"Wait, what are we doing?" Danny asked, almost breathless, even though they hadn't done anything yet. 

"We're getting ready for the Jacuzzi," Steve tugged at Danny's earlobe. "That's what you want, right?"

"Yeah, I just," Danny swallowed and looked down at where Steve's hands were, ready to reveal the growing bulge beneath. It was like it was the second to last hurdle and Danny had to psych himself up for it. 

"There's no rush, Danny," Steve placated. "I've made today good for you and I promise, I'm going to keep it good. I know what I want, but I don't want you to feel pressured or obligated."

"It's okay," Danny breathed out. "I want this, I do. It's been a while. I'm actually kind of nervous."

"With a guy?"

'Yeah," Danny smiled tentatively. 

Steve pressed his forehead to Danny's temple. "I've got everything in hand, so to speak."

He gave Danny's cock a playful squeeze through his pants, his hand having drifted down without Danny realizing. The breath caught in Danny's throat as he did it, then hands joined Steve's to open up his pants and underwear and in the next second they were pooling at Danny's feet and he was trying to kick out of his shoes to get everything off. 

"God, you're beautiful, Danny," Steve said, looking down over his shoulder.

"And you're still dressed," Danny pushed his ass back against Steve's groin.

"Grab a towel on your way out," Steve gestured for the door, putting space between their bodies and grabbing Danny's ass playfully as he moved away. "I'll be two seconds."

"The Army train you to get your clothes off in a hurry?" Danny threw over his shoulder. 

"It's the Navy," he yelled out the now open door, his shoes off, his pants had hit the ground along with his underwear and he was kicking out of them as he pulled open his shirt buttons, trying to get everything off at once and tangling himself up more than he meant. 

By the time he made it outside, Danny had turned on the Jacuzzi and was sitting in the water, relaxing back against the walls of the tub. Steve stepped in quickly and crowded Danny into the corner before picking up where he'd left off, his ideal scenario was to see Danny breathless, his lips swollen from Steve's kisses and his neck red with Steve's teeth marks. 

Danny yelped as Steve's teeth dug in harder than he'd meant, but he was pleased with the result as he pulled back to look at the mark, low on his collarbone. His hands dug under the bubbling water, skirting down Danny's chest and belly and followed the trail onto his cock, teasing, holding enough to give him some experimental jerks, but not enough to overstimulate. 

"You know," Danny said, his mouth free while Steve explored him. "I've thought of another problem I have for tonight."

"What's that?" Steve hummed against his chest as he made his way down to the waterline.

"I don't have anything to wear in bed."

"I'm sure we can work around that," Steve smiled, his teeth finding a nipple just below the surface of the water and he held his breath as he ducked under, feeling Danny's hand caught in his hair again, gripping tighter the harder Steve bit down.

He broke free of the water and took in more air, but before he could dive down again, Danny dragged him closer and shoved his tongue into Steve's mouth, taking control of the kiss and doing some exploring of his own, chasing the slight taste of chlorine on Steve's lips. 

Steve smiled against Danny's lips while they stayed close, breathing in. With a self-assured smirk, he said, "I'm going back under," took a breath and disappeared again. 

Danny sucked his stomach in at the feel of Steve's hair against him, and then tightened his grip on Steve's shoulder as Steve began to give him an underwater blow job, taking him in and sucking, letting his tongue glide over the underside of his dick. A hand not braced against the wall of the Jacuzzi moved over Danny's thigh and then stretched beneath him, fondling his balls. 

Steve let go with his mouth and broke the surface again, taking a few more breaths. 

"You keep that up and I won't last much longer," Danny moaned, his head having fallen back.

"Challenge accepted," Steve spoke then dived back under, returning to what he'd been doing. 

It didn't take much more and then Danny was coming, his senses surrounded by the experience, Steve's hands, the warmth of the water, and a talented mouth. Steve's hand continued to jerk the last of the cum out of him as he came up for air again, watching Danny's face, seeing his reaction. 

Danny slunk down the smooth wall, boneless, eyes closed and mouthing 'oh my god' over again. Steve placed his hands on either side of Danny's thighs and blocked the light from Danny's face with his head until the man looked up at him. 

Danny reached out to return the favor but Steve shifted his body away. "Why don't we move this party inside?"

"But we just got the Jacuzzi heated up to the right temperature."

"I don't need it. You get me hot and bothered enough. And I've been imagining getting you in my bed again all night."

Steve stood in all his naked glory, cock jutting up, rock hard and as tempting as it would be to give in to having Danny jerk him off in the water, he'd much rather hold out for something else. He held a hand out for Danny and they climbed out together, grabbing towels to skim their bodies as they made it back inside, and Steve dropped his to the floor after scrubbing it over his head. He didn't dare look behind him until he'd made it to the bedroom. Only then did he allow himself to look at Danny and in a fast move he had grabbed him around the waist and threw him down onto the plush mattress.

This time he kissed up Danny's body, starting at his spent cock and up around his belly button, over the trail of hair up the centre of his chest and onto his neck, all the while he kept his knees where they were and laid himself over Danny's body, only keeping himself up with his weight on his arms, but allowing Danny to take some of it for him. 

He reached Danny's mouth and they kissed languidly. Danny needed another moment or two to recover his strength and Steve was feeling at ease, letting the burn inside him build slowly again. 

Danny widened his legs, bringing his feet up underneath himself more and pushed up against Steve, letting him grind back down against him, trying to help him get off more and it felt good against his dick, but he knew what he wanted. 

"Danny, please," he whined. "I want…"

"What do you want, babe?" Danny asked, his fingers massaging over Steve's back, nails scratching over his skin as they moved together. 

Steve growled. "I want to fuck you," his voice low, taking on a primal edge as his desires began to take over and he lost control of his mouth. "I want to fuck you so hard, I've wanted to since we first talked, since I first saw, you, God, you looked so good." He remembered seeing Danny's body on display by the pool and only now felt an irrational jealousy that all those other people got to see Danny almost naked like that, and also a pride that Steve was the one, out of everyone, who had Danny all for himself right now. "I want you, so much."

"Have you got…?"

"Yeah," Steve fumbled under the pillows. Before dinner he'd placed lube and condoms underneath in a hopeful moment and was glad of it now because he didn't want to go too far from where he was. 

He moved them around, sitting up and spreading Danny's legs wider. He pushed his ankles up underneath him further, exposing him more to Steve's touch. Lube dripping over his fingers, he began rubbing over Danny's hole, readying him and then slowly inserted the first finger, all while watching Danny's face for any sign of pain or that this was too much for him. He wanted Danny to enjoy this as much as he would and he knew it had been a while for the other man. 

It took time, he probably took longer than necessary, but once he felt Danny was loose enough he pushed a second finger in, listening for the keening noises in Danny's throat as his fingers pressed against his prostate, setting off ripples through Danny's body that made his dick begin to harden again. 

As the third finger pushed in, Steve turned his head and kissed against Danny's knee, his other hand held against his thigh and fingers dug into the flesh there before skimming up over his hip and holding on tight. "You ready for me, baby?"

"Show me what you got," Danny groaned out between clenched teeth.

Steve took himself in hand, ripping open the condom packet and getting it on, spreading more lube over himself then wiping a hand on the bed clothes. He lifted Danny's ass higher, clamping his legs high around Steve's waist. He guided his cock in slowly, the head breaching into Danny, he held it there a moment before pushing further in, bringing it back out before pushing further, repeating it over and over until he was sheathed inside Danny's body. The tightness surrounding him was too much and he dug a hand underneath himself, pulling on his balls to keep himself at bay. 

He watched Danny, the desire he felt mirrored in those blue eyes and he braced his weight on his knuckles on either side of Danny's shoulders and started thrusting harder into the pliant body below, feeling the bed begin to move with them, knowing that Danny was sliding up the bed with the more demanding strokes. 

"C'mon, that's it," he muttered. "So good, Danny." His head fell, the effort to keep it up too great. 

Sweat was beading his forehead; it mingled over their damp, heated bodies. He lowered himself closer to Danny, changing the angle of his thrusts, eliciting a cry from Danny, and another, followed by quieter moans as they both got closer to the edge. 

Danny reached a hand between their bodies and began to pump his own cock, needing to come again as Steve fucked him open.

"I'm gonna, I'm gonna come, baby, God, I'm gonna come." He sped up his final thrusts and pushed hard into Danny, keeping himself as deep as he could, giving small jerks of his hips as he emptied himself, only semi-aware of Danny's hand still tugging on his own cock until he reached release a few moments later, cum spilling onto his stomach, the stickiness sandwiched between them as Steve collapsed on top of him, dick sliding out of Danny's body. 

They lay in a heap on the bed, the faint sound of the music coming from the living area in the background of their heavy breathing. The sweat slowly drying on their skin, giving them goosebumps as the air-con spat out a cool breeze around the room. 

Steve rolled away, taking the condom off and letting it fall to the floor before turning back to Danny and gathering him close. He hummed as his lips met a part of Danny's body and laid a chaste kiss against him.

"You okay?" He asked, concerned. His eyes finally opening and he allowed a hand to go down Danny's body, trying to check if his ass hadn't been abused too much. 

"I"m better than okay," Danny curled into Steve. "I think my brain is dead."

Steve caressed Danny's arm up and down with the backs of his fingers, then he moved them into Danny's hair, stroking lightly before guiding Danny's head comfortably into the crook of his shoulder. 

"And to think, we're only halfway through my epic 24-hour distraction."

"I think this is my favorite one," Danny burrowed tiredly against Steve, nosing against his neck as he turned his body in closer, a leg thrown between Steve's; he was practically on top of him. 

"We can do it again, then," Steve said, confidently. 

"Gimme five minutes…" Danny drifted, a hand patting lightly against Steve's chest and not long after, came soft, snuffling snores.

Steve lay still, feeling a peace and calmness he seldom felt, not just with someone but _**at all**_. Danny did something to him that made him better. The sex had been amazing but it wasn't just that. Being around Danny had an effect on him that he'd never expected during that initial desire when he'd seen him by the pool. What had started as a conquest, a desire to possess something he wanted, had turned into something more. It was something he couldn't put his finger on and couldn't describe readily, but he wanted this to last. 

He looked down at Danny, relaxed in sleep. 

He really wanted this to last.


	4. Chapter 4

Sometime around 4am, Steve had been woken by a tongue licking over his body as Danny took the opportunity that had been denied him earlier, and now it was his chance to explore Steve's body. It had been slow, they were both half awake and yet still aware of each others' bodies and needs and Danny's pleasant weight on top of Steve was wholly welcome. 

This time, Danny stayed on top and rode Steve's dick, setting his own pace, not letting Steve take over or thrust up and he held Steve down with a hand on each bicep. It had been remarkable, letting Danny do what he wanted with Steve's body, using him to give himself satisfaction, Steve's orgasm a secondary thought, Danny knowing Steve would get off, his sly look telling Steve that Danny knew exactly what he was doing to him. 

They fell back onto the bed again, sweaty sheets tangling around them, forcing them closer, not sure where one body ended and the next began. As Steve drifted back to sleep he couldn't keep his hands off Danny, fingers tangling in chest hair and touching the smooth skin of his hip, not wanting the sun to rise but to let the night last longer.

Eventually he was woken by the ringing of a phone. He stretched a hand out to the bedside table, shuffling over the bed to reach it and taking Danny with him.

"Yeah?" He asked blearily. 

"It's morning," Chin's amused voice sounded over the connection. 

"I get that," Steve squinted into the sun that was now shining through his window, haloing them as they lay in a messy bed. "Did you call for an actual reason?"

"It's unlike you to sleep in, wanted to check you were awake and thought you should know that it's 8am. I can only assume you were kept busy through the night."

"That would be none of your concern, Chin Ho Kelly."

"Sure, sure. You can tell me all about it later. Listen, I've got room service bringing you up breakfast. Thought you'd want to stay in your little, cozy bubble for a while longer."

"Thanks, Chin," Steve tightened his hold around Danny as the man made little noises, not wanting to wake up, and instead buried his face in Steve's neck. "Hey, anything from last night shown up anywhere?"

"Couple of things online, nothing in print, but it was late; they'd never have made publication deadlines."

"What kind of things?" He swiped a hand over his face.

"The usual speculation."

"Okay, just do me a favor and keep an eye on it. I don't want them near Danny today."

"Sure. Kono may have broken a camera last night, legal are taking care of it."

"Tell her it was a terrible thing to do and well done," Steve laughed quietly, still trying not to disturb Danny. "I'll see you in a few hours," he signed off, knowing Chin would be there for the end of this whole arrangement, and now they only had four hours left before Steve had to return Danny to his wife, and that gave him a sinking, sickly feeling in his stomach. He didn't want Danny to go back to her; he didn't want Danny to leave _him._

He scooted down, burrowing back into Danny's warmth and pressing kisses to his forehead and temple. "Hey, sleepyhead."

Danny's hands lazily mopped at Steve's neck and cheek, half-heartedly pushing him away. "Too early," he whined. 

"I really wore you out, huh?" Steve smiled against Danny's hair. 

"You're a menace," Danny responded, finally opening his eyes and taking in his surroundings. "I was comfortable, why'd you have to start moving around?"

"Because breakfast is on its way up, and I'm not done with you, yet," Steve turned Danny onto his back and eased his way down Danny's torso, sucking and biting as he went, slipping his body down between Danny's legs like he belonged there. He sighed blissfully and rested his cheek against Danny, his head bobbing peacefully with the rise and fall of Danny's breaths. 

"What are you thinking?" Danny asked, fingers toying with the short strands of Steve's hair.

"I'm thinking I don't want this to end." Steve looked up at Danny, chin on his chest and a silence passed between them of considered feelings, emotions in overdrive and Steve knew he had to stop any thoughts of a hellish future that could await him if he never saw Danny again after this. "You think I could get away with kidnapping you and just keeping you here? I could get some chains, tie you to the bed, never let you leave."

"One or two people might miss me," Danny reached back to the bed frame, a finger trailing over the wooden limbs.

"I'll buy them off," Steve clamped down on Danny's hips and leveraged himself back up his body again.

"I tell you now; Gracie's price will probably be a dolphin."

"I can get a dolphin," Steve nodded, a smile playing on his lips as he nudged his nose against Danny's and licked his bottom lip teasingly and that was when there was a knock on his door and he growled with frustration. "Breakfast."

"On you go, it's your room," Danny pushed at Steve, shooing him away.

Steve grabbed a towel and wrapped it around himself before ushering the waiter in with their trolley. Chin had ordered a huge selection for them to choose from and now that he was looking at it, he realized how hungry he was getting. After the door closed again, Danny appeared, padding along the short corridor with a robe loosely tied around him that he'd taken from the master bathroom. His hair was messy, sticking out at odd angles and it was somehow adorable and hot all at once. 

"We've got pancakes, bacon, French toast, eggs, hash browns, fruit," he looked over the plates as he uncovered more things, an arm slipping around Danny as he came close enough. He screwed his nose up as he looked at another plate. "And I think that's grits. Chin's idea of a wind up."

Danny grabbed a piece of bacon and began chewing. "It all looks good to me." He swallowed and placed a chaste kiss on Steve's lips. "You better dig in before I eat the whole thing."

Breakfast took longer than it really should have, but there was so much food in front of them to enjoy and between bites they would share lingering kisses, chasing the different tastes in each others' mouths. Then Steve decided to get creative again and grabbed the maple syrup, pulling Danny's robe open more and trickling it over his chest before bowing his head to lick a stripe up the furred skin. He mouthed over Danny's chin, his sticky tongue leaving a trail behind him, fingers swiping at the syrup still on Danny and bringing it to his mouth, letting Danny suck the digit in and lick it clean.

He dribbled more of the syrup down Danny's neck, letting it find its own path down before he mouthed and sucked against the sweet tasting skin, his own nose and chin getting covered and sticky and as Danny pulled him up for a kiss, the mess just transferred more to him while their chests stuck together, making them both a disaster. 

Danny's tongue darted out to Steve's nose, cleaning the syrup from the tip. "I'm all for messy sex, but this is ridiculous. We'll just get it all over your nice couch."

"I can get it cleaned. Or buy a new one. Whatever you want," Steve purred against Danny as his hands roamed lower, helping change the angle to slot their bodies as close as possible on the wide couch.

"I think I want to be clean," Danny put in, his head falling back onto the couch cushions. "And as talented as your tongue is, it can't replace soap and water."

"Then let's shower," Steve grinned, let his towel fall away completely and dragged Danny up, making him lose the robe as they stepped back down towards the bedroom. 

"Who said this was something for two people? Did I ask you to join me? I do know how to wash myself," Danny protested.

Steve backed Danny into the wall, their bodies touching again, the syrup tacky between them. "My shower is the best in Vegas, best on the planet. You wouldn't want to turn down an opportunity to try it out, would you?"

"You seem to think you can woo people into doing things with you by promising them the best."

"I'm true to my word though. Where in the last 24 hours have you not enjoyed the best I can offer you? And if you even _think_ of saying the sex-" Steve was cut off by Danny's tongue, and his sentence was forgotten in favor of appreciative moans.

As Danny broke off his voice was husky. "Get your ass in the shower."

Steve moved with lightning speed into the bathroom, getting the shower started quickly, a hand under the spray to check the temperature, while Danny groped at his ass impatiently. They stepped into the large cubicle and Steve pulled Danny under the spray, loving how the water cascaded over him, his hair flattening, longer strands falling over his face, drops edging down his nose and off. Steve made a grab for the shower gel and emptied a good amount into his hands before reaching out and stroking it over Danny, the syrup coming away from where it was mottled in his chest hair. 

Danny returned the favor, running gel over his own hands and then onto Steve, their arms getting crossed over and confused, pulling them closer together as they tried to figure out the best way to do it. Eventually they found a rhythm and their cleanup was done as successfully as they were going to manage, the soap rinsed from their bodies. 

Danny ran his hands through his hair, getting it out of his eyes and the stretch of his arms pulled at the muscles over his chest and drew Steve in again like a moth to a flame. He closed in on Danny's side, one hand rubbing down an arm, the other feeling down his back and onto his ass where he let it rest. He followed that hand with his eyes, watching the water trails fall over Danny's skin and he dropped to a knee, tongue out and licking over the rounded flesh and teeth nibbling by his tailbone. A wet finger probed between the cheeks, his other hand opening Danny up, checking to see the redness after having fucked Danny twice already. Danny hissed at the contact but didn't move away from Steve, instead he stayed leaning on the tiles, letting him do what he wanted. Danny hadn't said anything about being sore, and hadn't acted like it, but he would definitely be feeling something, and Steve smiled, hoping that whatever burn Danny felt was a good one, that it reminded him of their night together. 

Steve lifted back onto his feet and pushed in close to Danny, his cock slipping between Danny's ass cheeks as he held them apart to rub against the wet, warm skin. He enveloped Danny in a hug from behind, his hold tight and proprietary as he brushed gentle kisses on the back of his neck and ear and he slowly rutted against the other man.

One of Danny's hands came back and grabbed for Steve's neck, or shoulder or anything he could reach. "Godamnit," Danny muttered as his hand slipped on the tile and he had to rely on Steve to hold him up, the spray still hitting Danny's front, battering against his sensitive skin. Steve's hand curled around Danny's dick and began jacking him off hard and fast and Danny's mouth hung open as he panted and whined, his flailing hand finding purchase on Steve's forearm and gripping just as Steve could feel the rest of his body tightening as his orgasm grew nearer.

"Steve, I'm gonna-" was all he got out before he was coming, the evidence washing away quickly under the shower spray and his head heavy on Steve's shoulder. Steve smoothed his hands over Danny's chest, petting him soothingly. His own dick was still insistently rubbing off against Danny's ass, their bodies solidly held together. He could come like this but he wanted more. 

As if reading his mind, Danny turned in his arms and before Steve could complain about the lack of friction he wasn't getting anymore, Danny whispered against his mouth, "Think I need to return the favor."

Danny dropped to his knees and took Steve in with no warning, no teasing, just swallowed as much of him as he could, his other hand holding tightly where his mouth ended and he jacked Steve off while sucking him in. Steve couldn't help but thrust forward into the wet heat that he hadn't known he craved until that point and far too quickly he felt the wave of orgasm crash over him, looking down with wide eyes as Danny swallowed his cum.

Steve held the sides of Danny's head as he pulled him back to stand and pushed him against the cool tiles as he prowled close. "Fuck, Danny, that mouth of yours is lethal." 

Danny licked his lips with a smirk and that was enough to have Steve close the distance and plunder Danny's mouth. His arms fumbled until they were around Danny and he pulled him close in a way that showed just how much he never wanted to let go. 

"That's it," he said. "I'm done with everyone else, nothing else could ever compare."

"That's the post-coital buzz talking," Danny laughed. 

"No, it's not." Steve pulled back just enough to be able to look at Danny. He ran a hand through Danny's hair and down to cup his cheek. "I knew I wanted you but this? It's more than that now."

Steve reached behind Danny to turn the shower off, the lack of spray and noise made things more intimate, even as they stood, dripping and beginning to feel a slight chill.

"You can't know what you feel after just one day," Danny said, a hand over Steve's heart and his eyes betraying a hint of sadness. 

"Are you saying that to me, or yourself?"

Danny laid his head over Steve's chest and sighed. "Both?" His hands fell from Steve and then he dragged himself away from the embrace. Steve watched as Danny opened the shower door and stepped out, his outline in view through the frosted glass as he grabbed a towel on his way out again. 

Steve followed suit rubbing the fabric over his hair and upper body before wrapping it tightly, low on his hips and he looked around for Danny before finding him looking out over the pool deck. 

Danny glanced behind him over to Steve with a small smile then pushed the door open and headed out into the sun and took a seat. Steve moved over and stood in the doorway, leaning on the frame and watching Danny. 

"You know, when I first saw you, your hair was doing that thing it is now, curling a little at the back and all messy. Those swim trunks you had on were riding so low I had no idea how they were staying up and I just knew. I felt this stone in the pit of my stomach jumping around and a shiver ran through me and God, Danny, now you're here. And you're not just another notch on the bedpost, I swear to you. I don't want this to end and I want us to find a way to stay together."

Danny's elbow leaned on the table beside him and he gave Steve a confused smile. "What are you talking about? We met on the casino floor when…" Danny frowned as Steve's eyes widened. Shit. He hadn't meant… "Wait, did you… did you _**set that up?**_ "

"Danny, come on," Steve raised his hands placatingly. "It was a coincidence."

"Bullshit, you made it up to meet me?" Danny stood, anger reddening his face, muscles coiled. "Wait, you… you would have had to find out who I was. How… did you follow me? Or have one of your flunkies do it for you?"

"They got your room number using security footage that's all," Okay, so he was lying a little but still… it wasn't important how he'd found out anything else.

"The cameras? You tracked me on the cameras? Well, Big Brother really is watching, isn't he! Do you have any idea how violating that is?" Danny yelled, hands stabbing at the air in front of him. "Have you done this before? Stalked your hotel guests so you could get into their pants? Oh God…" Danny's hands rubbed over his mouth then slumped to his sides dejectedly and he pushed past Steve into the room again. 

Steve caught up to him and grabbed his arm, spinning him back around. "Listen to me, okay? It's not like that, it's really not." Danny's eyes were wet and it broke Steve's heart to see them like that, to know that he caused it. He reached a hand up to wipe at the moisture. "Please, Danny, I know it doesn't make me look good right now, but I never meant to hurt you, I just wanted to know you and then the more I got to know you, the more I knew something bigger was happening between us, you have to believe me."

"You've lied to me from the start, why should I believe you now?" Danny hissed out, his anger fizzling to sadness and upset. 

"Because I… I'm falling in love with you," he bared his soul and watched as Danny's eyes softened. "And I can't hurt you. I can't be the one to do that because it hurts me."

"I'm about to go back to my wife, Steven. My _**wife**_. And I already felt like ten different types of shit for cheating on her, but I've been pushing all that aside because you and I… I was enjoying it too much, even though I knew I'd have to face up to things. And then I find out that this has all been some sort of _game_ to you. Using someone then watching their life fall apart… Steve… it's not something that I can just forgive with a click of my fingers."

"Danny, please-"

"My life is not some sport for you and your millions to do with as you please. There's no such thing as entitlement for the rich. You live by the same rules as everyone else and I thought you understood that. I looked past the magazine exposés on your family. I ignored the control freak tendencies and crazy GI Joe tactics you have from chasing shoe bombers around the world because I thought that underneath it all you were actually a normal, decent guy."

"I am, Danny, I swear I am," Steve clutched Danny close again despite the tension he felt in the other man. 

"I don't know what to think, Steve. I really don't. I've got too much going on, I can't… Rachel, Grace, I…" he shook his head. "I need to get dressed." His eyes changed in an instant, shutting down and plastering on an empty expression.

Steve dropped his hands, letting go of Danny, watching him move away and into the spare room. 

*

A short while later, Steve was dressed and waiting for Danny in the kitchen. Every movement he'd made since Danny had rejected him had been sluggish, a depression taking hold. He knew he wanted to fix it, he had to fix it, but right now he didn't know how and Danny was right, if he was going to face Rachel, he needed to be allowed to do that. 

It was supposed to be different. Steve was going to stand behind Danny, silently support him and be a rock for him while he told Rachel that he wanted a divorce. 

Now he didn't know what might happen.

Danny came out in yesterday's clothes, flattening the shirt over his chest and running fingers through his now perfect hair. 

"Okay, let's go," Danny gestured to the door but didn't meet Steve's eyes. As they both approached it, Steve reached out and stopped Danny's hand on the handle. 

"Danny, just, before we go… I need you to know that I'm here for you, whatever happens with Rachel, I'll stand by you. I know what I want but it's not all about me. And I messed up, I know I did. I should have been more honest from the start, I just dug myself a hole the longer I stayed quiet. I guess, I just thought it didn't really matter. Like it was no different than seeing you in a bar and buying you a drink or something."

"Difference is, Steve, that when someone buys you a drink in a bar, you already know the game you're playing."

"It's not a game, Danny."

"No, it isn't." He finally looked up at Steve. "But whatever pursuit it was that you started, began entirely one-sided. Orchestrating a way to meet me is one thing, it's entirely another to hide your intentions behind different plots and plans that I wasn't aware of. I did work some of it out. I knew from when you offered us all that money to stay apart, I knew what you wanted."

"Then why did you agree to it?"

"Rachel and I talked about it for hours that night. I never let on to her that I believed you had other motives besides what you'd said. She was all for it because of the money involved, and in the end I was just sick of arguing with her. And when we went to bed, I kept thinking about you and I convinced myself that there would be no harm in having some fun with the attraction between us. I didn't think we'd… you know."

"I don't regret it, Danny. I'm sorry that I hurt you, that I went about it the wrong way, but I don't regret getting to know you, getting close to you." He reached out for Danny, relieved when he didn't shy away from the hand cupping his neck. "I wouldn't change the day we had for anything in the world."

When Danny's turbulent mind betrayed him with a smile, Steve swooped in and kissed him. Savoring it, hoping and praying to any God that might listen that it wouldn't be the last time he got to do this, he made it last as long as he could. They pulled back slowly, a spell over them that neither wanted to break but they had to go.

They rode down to the ground floor in silence, both trying to get their thoughts in order. Before they turned into the lobby, Danny's hand reached out to stop him. "Look," he fidgeted. "Thank you, for yesterday. If I'm being honest, I wouldn't change it either."

Steve put his hands on Danny's waist and then pulled him in for a hug. "I'll let you talk to Rachel alone. I'll be in my office and if you need me for anything, _**anything**_ , you have someone find me."

Steve walked Danny until they could see Rachel and Lori standing there. He had a vague hope that Rachel might look happy and relaxed, maybe having enjoyed her day away from Danny and been cool and calm, ready for whatever they both needed. But she seemed downcast, haunted in some way and he couldn't help but compare it to how Danny's shoulders slumped as he made his way over. 

Lori rubbed Rachel's shoulder, kissed her cheek and walked away from her, towards Steve. When she reached him, she linked their arms together and dragged him away with intent. 

"What's going on?" he asked her as they made their way behind an employee door. 

"I think it's wise to get away. Rachel said Danny can be a hot head and she's got something to tell him."

"If you tell me she's desperate to save their marriage now, just grab the nearest gun you can find and put me out of my misery."

"What?" She asked, stopping in her tracks and forcing Steve to stop and look at her. "No, she's pretty sure he'll be screaming for a divorce in the next ten minutes. What the hell happened with you two?"

Steve scowled at her. 

"Oh come on, Steve. When you called me in on this you never told me you had a vested interest in it. And from all the guilt Rachel heaped on herself she made it sound like Danny would be the last person in the world to even _think_ about cheating let alone act on it." Steve's face betrayed him and Lori bounced on the balls of her feet while simultaneously being pissed off at him. "Oh my God, Steve, you didn't."

"We did. Wait, why is Rachel worried about what Danny thinks about cheating… oh."

"We were at the Bellagio. I figured you would stay around The Pearl with Danny and we didn't want to run into either of you so we went shopping and Rachel looked like a million bucks when we went to dinner and there was a guy there at the bar who bought her a drink and they got talking…"

"Did she…?"

"No, well maybe, I'm not sure how far they went. She was very close to him. I was a third wheel so I left them to it and then about a couple of hours later Rachel came to find me at the room we were booked into there. Whatever it is she did with Stan, she felt hugely guilty for it."

"His name is Stan?"

"Stan Edwards. He's the property developer working on that new hotel for Steve Wynn."

"I've never met him but yeah, I vaguely know who he is. So she's what… telling Danny that she cheated on him?"

"Maybe, I don't know."

"I should-" He made a move to go back to the front desk, but Lori stopped him. 

"I don't think they'll have it out in the lobby, Steve. Give them some privacy, there's nothing you can do now."

*

Time passed slowly and Steve hadn't done a single bit of work. He'd done nothing more than tap his pen on the desk until Chin came in and moved everything out of Steve's reach. He could hear it from his office next door and he was sick of it. 

It had been a good two hours and Steve had no idea what could have happened. If Rachel confessed would Danny want to divorce her, or did she want one anyway because she liked Edwards? And what about Danny? Did he want to divorce Rachel and come back to him, instead? Or would they both admit their guilt and then put it all down to being an effect of Vegas and try to make a go of it again. 

There was a knock on the door and Kono's concerned gaze fell on Steve. "He says he needs to see you."

"Danny?" Steve perked up, hopeful and nervous all at once. 

"He's right here. I figured you'd want to see him, too." She gave him a small smile but it never reached her eyes, her empathy for the situation was apparent. 

"Let him in, he can barge in whenever he likes, I don't mind."

Kono stepped back and it was a painfully long second before Danny appeared in Steve's door. He came in and closed the door behind him, leaning back against it. He looked tired, haggard; his eyes were red though he was manfully doing everything to appear like he hadn't been upset. Steve couldn't help but go to him, reaching out and pulling him into a hug. He couldn't bear to see Danny like this and he blamed a lot of it on himself. 

"Tell me what to do to make it better," he said and felt Danny's answering shake of the head against him. 

"I thought I had everything I wanted," Danny's muffled voice came from against Steve. "Beautiful wife, perfect daughter, a job I love. Then I got hurt, which took me off the job and frustrated with the recovery… then Rachel pulled back, the life of a cop's wife getting to her and then we came here and now…"

"What did she tell you?"

Danny pulled back. "You know? Lori knew, and she told you."

"She said something, but she didn't know everything."

"Rachel met a guy and she really likes him. Says it was different than what she had with me. Said it was easier." Danny moved away, slowly wandering around the room until he settled on the edge of the desk. "She was so worried about how I'd react, it had been eating away at her and then I told her what I had done and she slapped me so hard my teeth are still rattling."

"She hit you?" 

"She said it was because she'd been feeling so bad about it all and it was like it was for nothing, because I was doing the exact same thing elsewhere. I don't blame her for hitting me. I had expected it going in. I hadn't expected to find out she'd been off with some other bastard."

"You're getting divorced?"

"She asked me for one. I dunno Steve, I don't know what to think. I mean, I hate myself for cheating on her. I hate her for cheating on me. We resolved the divorce issue pretty quickly; we've just been up there talking about the future and what it means for Grace in all of this. That little girl is my world, without her I have nothing."

"I know it's not much," Steve said, getting close enough to stand over Danny's legs and run hands down his arms. 'But you've got me."

"That's the thing people tend to forget about vacation romances - they end when people go home."

"Danny-"

"I need to go. I just wanted to let you know the results of your little test and what happens when an arguing couple spend time apart. I just hope you think it was all worth it."

"Danny-"

"No, Steve, I'm sorry," Danny held a quieting hand up. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm all over the place."

"Stay with me tonight. Or I'll get you sorted with another room. You can't stay with Rachel."

Danny nodded. "Yeah, I'll uh, I'll let you know."

Steve kissed Danny's head and let him go. He didn't feel any better knowing Danny was going through all this crap now; whether the upset of knowing his wife had cheated on him, or the guilt at having been with Steve. Last night everything had been so good, neither of them had truly considered the consequences and now they were paying for it. Steve only knew money and explosions as a way to solve problems and neither worked in this situation, making him feel unprepared and useless. He just wanted to take Danny away from it; somewhere they could just ignore the problem. Just grab his daughter and him and whisk them away to somewhere all three of them could be happy. 

*

Steve distracted himself as best as he could and somehow the hours passed until the sun got to that low, awkward angle through his window that was always his cue to go out and do something else, usually he'd begin to mingle or meet the high rollers who were coming out to play before dinner. 

Instead, today he made his way to room 6417 - Danny and Rachel's room. He knew he probably shouldn't interfere but he had to know things were okay still, and find out how Danny was and if he could help take things up to his suite.

He knocked and waited, aware that there was noise behind the door and then it opened on the chain to reveal Rachel, surprise evident in her tired eyes. 

"Rachel," he greeted her with trepidation. 

"Mr. McGarrett, hold on," she closed the door enough to take it off the chain and open properly. She invited him in and he looked around to see what he could help with and something seemed off. He had a bad feeling snaking up his spine and those feelings were usually spot on. 

"I'm sorry for what's happened," he started. 

"It's for the best really. It was inevitable and I think we both know that, it's just painful to get through and there's a lot to consider. I suspect the majority of the money you gave each of us will be going to the lawyers by the time we're done. If Danny and I do anything well, it's argue."

Steve nodded. "Where is Danny?"

She looked up at him abruptly. "I thought he told you, he's gone."

"Gone? Gone where?" Steve's stomach dropped. 

"Home. He booked himself on a red-eye tonight. He's close with his family; he wanted to be with them. Personally, I'm better off spending time alone when I'm upset, so I'm going to stay another few days before heading back to deal with everything."

"Back to New Jersey? Do you know the flight number?"

She shrugged, "All I know is it that he's got a stopover somewhere, couldn't get direct last minute. Gets in tomorrow morning in Newark."

Steve dashed out of the door and ran down the hall, not saying a word to Rachel as he left. He pulled his phone out and hit the speed dial for Chin, barking orders at him to use their security system to see if they could find when Danny was booked to fly out, and if he couldn't do it, he was to call in whatever favors he could to find out.

He was out of the front door and running by the paparazzi, barely acknowledging their existence and jumping into his car, speeding away to get to the airport. It was after 7pm, the flight could be anything from now until 11 or so and he drummed his hands on the steering wheel as he waited for each light to turn green, alternating between watching the road and glancing at his phone, waiting for it to light up with the information he needed. 

Fifteen minutes later Chin was on the line again. "Okay, it's a good job people owe you favors Steve, he's booked out at 19:45. I'm not sure you'll make it in time."

"Can we ground the plane?"

"Are you listening to yourself? You may be loaded, and you may have friends in high places who owe you all sorts of things, but you can't get a plane grounded because the love of your life is on it and you don't want him to leave."

"I'm not going to make it Chin, there's no way. Please, tell me there's a delay. A thunderstorm, anything." He looked up at a clear sky and cursed. "Can't you hire someone to go break one of the parts?"

"No, Steve. Of course I can't. We can book you on a flight out to follow him, but that won't be until morning."

"Do it, I'm still going to try and make it and just hope they hold it for a bomb threat or something."

"Do not, I repeat, _**do not**_ call in a bomb threat of your own. I'll kill you, your father will kill you and the press will have a field day when we all go to jail. And somehow, if you survive all of that, Danny will kill you too."

"I won't," Steve grumbled, even though his fingers were itching to dial 911 as he hung up on his assistant. 

He abandoned the car out front, not caring that he was parked illegally and doubted it would be there when he came back out. He rushed through the terminal only to get held up at security while he waited on a friend of his who ran security at the airport to help get him through. He looked at his watch. It was 19:50. He knew airplanes never took off on time regardless so he still had hope but only if he got through now. 

Pleasantries were exchanged, and he explained enough to Joe to let him through but he wasn't quick enough. The older man accompanied him to the gate, only to find the plane had already taxied off and they'd missed it by a few minutes. He turned to Joe, his eyes pleading. 

"I can't stop it, son, not without landing us in a whole mess." A hand landed on his shoulder. "You'll just have to follow him out, if it's so important."


	5. Chapter 5

It had been a long flight. First going in the wrong direction to LA, then having a stop in Dallas before finally getting on a plane that would take him to Newark. Danny hadn't taken much with him to Vegas since it was only a week they'd planned to be staying there, so he'd been fine with just a rolling case as a carry-on. 

He was glad, because he was too tired what with the flights he'd been bandied about in clashing with his emotional state to make him feel like the dregs of humanity. In a bid to keep himself awake until he got to the parking lot, he kept looking around himself, reading signs and keeping a steady eye on the people around him. His detective senses keeping him alert as he imagined what crimes people might have committed. 

That was when he went past a Hudson News stand and a red and yellow headline with the name 'McGarrett' caught his attention. He backed up out of curiosity and read more of the tabloid's front page: 'MCGARRETT'S NEW MAN' it read with a smaller teaser underneath that read 'is this the real deal?'. What was worse was the picture of Steve and Danny outside The Pearl from a few nights before. It was done in such a way that all you could really tell was Danny's build and that he was blond.

He opened it up and turned to the pages with the spread inside and oh, God. Inside was where they had the money shot and although you could see where they'd cropped out Chin trying to stop the pictures, there was a clear one of Steve wrapped around Danny and both their faces were clear, then in the next shot, Steve had protectively pulled Danny's head in closer to his shoulder, trying to shield him, while Danny had wrapped his arms around Steve keeping him close. It actually looked intimate, loving, despite the annoyance of being papped.

He skimmed the article and it was nothing more than speculation about how Steve never got close to anyone he's seen out with until these photos, so what made 'this man' special? The whole thing was filled mostly with gossip gleaned from the fired waiter who had served them in Nui's but he had nothing on them, except that he had heard the name 'Danny' and he was pretty sure Danny was a cop. Then on the other side of the spread was a reminder of Steve's coming out the year before when he'd quit the Navy and done an interview with Rolling Stone; which had included testimonials from his SEAL buddies who fully supported him. At the bottom was one of those stupid pleas for more information on the new love affair.

As if things weren't complicated enough, now he had to worry about tabloids becoming interested in his love life? And wouldn't that be a great story: McGarrett seduces married Jersey cop who then divorces the wife who cheated on him while he was cheating on her with Steve. It was like a Goddamn soap opera. In fact, he could sell it to a network and make a little side money, sheesh. 

He grabbed a copy of the Times and stepped over to the desk, digging in his pocket for his wallet and trying not to make much in the way of eye contact with the shop assistant. Once they were paid for, he shoved the tabloid in the center of the paper and folded it under his arm. 

He dug a baseball cap out of the front pocket of his bag and fitted it on his head. It wouldn't make much difference, no one was really looking at him yet, but it made him feel better.

*

He was wide awake now, another adrenaline rush as he worried over the state of his life. Driving down the turnpike, he held his phone up closer to his mouth while it was on speaker. 

"Ma, do you still buy those trashy tabloids?"

"Sometimes Danny, but why do you care about that? And are you driving while on the phone? You know that isn't safe."

"I know, Ma, I just… I'm coming over, okay? Grace is at school, right, then supposed to get picked up by Matty?"

"Yes, nothing has changed since you called yesterday, honey. When you get here, we'll have breakfast and you can tell me all about it."

"Okay, just… if you get a call from your friends, do me a favor and don't answer it."

"What's going on, Danny?"

"I'll tell you when I get there just please, listen to me. In fact, don't answer the phone at all until I get there."

"Okay, drive safe."

"Yeah," he hung up, throwing his phone on the passenger seat and scrubbing a hand over his stubbled face. He felt like he hadn't shaved in days and that was probably right, but he had no concept of time after that night flight.

A half hour later he pulled up outside his parents' house and a strange sense of relief flooded over him not to find any strangers with cameras hanging around having already discovered his identity. He'd only been in the public eye for a day and he still had some anonymity. He felt sorry for Steve if this was how he felt almost every day. 

He laid his head forward onto the steering wheel and took calming breaths. God. _**Steve**_. He should have said something before leaving but he was too much of a coward to say goodbye to him and he couldn't do it. He was still pissed at the man for manipulating his way into Danny's life and yet also somehow flattered at the attention. He couldn't readily forgive him for what he'd done, and he still felt like there was something Steve wasn't telling him but he had no idea if that was his own paranoid mind. Regardless, the fact that he felt this way, meant he couldn't be with Steve right now. Not when the truth still felt like it was hanging between them.

He needed time to think. He needed to get his head screwed on right, needed to consider Grace, sort out what would happen during the divorce... starting a new relationship couldn't rank high on his priorities right now, no matter if he wanted it or not. He may have tried to tell Steve that all they had was a 'vacation fling' but he was wary of the fact that he wanted more than that. Yet Steve was in Vegas, and Danny's home was in New Jersey.

His phone went off with the tone for an unknown number and he held it up, seeing the big words stating 'withheld' and he declined it immediately. That was his cue. He pushed the door open and unfolded himself from the car, grabbing his case from the trunk. All the clunking car noises were enough to bring his mother to the door, ready to hug him when he got up the steps. 

He abandoned his case in the hall and gave in, letting his mother's arms come around his shoulders and squeeze tight. She'd taken a personal day from work once she knew he was coming home, but his dad was at the Fire Station. 

"I made pancakes," she smiled warmly as she took him into the kitchen. "Chocolate chip with smiley faces."

"Ma," Danny laughed. "I'm not a kid anymore; pancakes aren't going to make me feel better."

"You're upset, and in this family, upset people get pancakes. For breakfast anyway. For dinner they get lasagna."

"That makes more sense. Lasagna is the food of choice for divorcees."

She smacked him upside the head as he bit into the first pancake. He watched the butter melting over them and then looked over at the bottle of maple syrup she'd left out for him. After swallowing he pushed the bottle further away from himself and turned to ignore it while he kept eating. 

"You look like crap," she said, stating the obvious.

"Thanks, Ma," he replied. It wasn't as if you could say his mother pulled any punches. She never had. 

"So why is it I'm not supposed to answer the phone or communicate with my friends? It can't be about Rachel, surely."

"No, it's…" Danny sighed. "I'd tell you but I may as well just show you. You'd find out anyway." He took another bite then got out of his chair and moved back into the hallway. Opening the front pocket of his case, he pulled out the paper then unfolded it to get at the hidden magazine inside. Going back to the kitchen he thrust it into her hands where she was sitting at the table by him. 

"When did you start buying these?" she asked.

"Since I was on the cover of them. I'd buy them all up and burn them if I could afford it."

"Oh, my." 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his mother's hand go to her mouth but he was turning red as he kept eating and was too scared to look at her. He saw her thumbing through to the article and then there was quiet between them while she read it all.

Danny had finished his breakfast before his mom finished reading. She closed the magazine carefully and pushed it further up the table, leaning her elbows forward and crossing her arms over. "So the divorce… on the phone you said it was mutual?"

"It was. I cheated on her; she cheated on me and all on the same night." He finally looked up and she gave a look that was something of a cross between disappointment and sympathy with confusion thrown in for a little extra fun. Which made sense. 

"You're a schmuck," she said. "A perfectly good marriage down the drain."

"Ma, you know we weren't getting on anymore. Gracie was the only thing keeping us together. We finally pushed each other over the edge."

"Well, fine. Your father and I thought you might be heading that way. We just didn't want to see it happen. Divorces can be hell. But you're still a schmuck."

"Why now?"

She held up the magazine in her fist. "For getting involved with some kind of playboy lothario. Really, Danny?" She thwacked him over the head with the magazine. 

"Ow," he said, shoulders raised. "He's not a lothario, geez. He's perfectly normal. Mostly."

"Normal? You know how much is written about that family? It's like combining the Trumps and the Hiltons together with Kardashians for some extra spice. It just goes to show you what money does to people. The girl, Mary Ann, was a tearaway kid who got involved in all kinds of trouble, constantly hitting the headlines. Parties, drugs, community service instead of jail time, all the usual rich kid problems."

"Yeah, but Steve isn't like that. He joined the Navy. Be all that you can be, or whatever the crap it is."

"When rich kids do things like that you know their parents are sending them away to straighten their lives out. I'm just saying. He could have done all sorts of things when he was a kid that they covered up. Then he goes off to war and probably killed people, comes home, starts working in the family business and is seen out at parties with a string of men..."

"Ma, stop it. Please. I don't want to know."

"I'm just saying, people like that? With all that money? They think they can lord it over you, take advantage of you, get you to do all sorts of things."

Danny stayed suspiciously quiet and fiddled with the sleeve of his sweater. 

"Danny, what did you do?"

"It wasn't just me, and Rachel was the first to agree."

"What. Did. You. _**Do**_?"

Danny cleared his throat. "Steve challenged us to spend 24 hours apart. And if we could do it, he'd give us a hundred grand each." He looked down at the table. "I checked my account at the airport, the money already cleared."

"Oh, honey," she reached out for his hand and squeezed it, then her eyes hardened. "So you spent all that time away from Rachel and spent it with him and then he got you into bed? I hate him. I've not met him and I hate him. Using you like that and then it's all over the tabloids, I just… I know why he singled you out though…" She smiled jokingly at him and reached out to his hair but he pulled back out of her reach with a grimace.

Danny's phone rang again, saving him from his mother's attempt to pinch his cheek, a withheld note popping up on the screen once more. He decided to bite the bullet and answered, keeping an eye on his mother as he did so. "Detective Williams." 

"Danny? Are you okay?"

"Steve?" He sat up straighter and his mother did the same. She made frantic hand motions to get him to hang up. 

"I spoke to Rachel, she told me you were going back to Jersey. Why did you leave? I told you to come and stay with me."

"That's all very well, Steven, but my life is here. My daughter, my family. I didn't think it was right to stretch things out any longer."

"You should have come to me. I could've called in some favors, got you on a decent flight if nothing else. You didn't need to take those other shitty last-minute hops."

"Steve, you can't keep doing this." He rubbed his head tiredly. 

"Doing what?"

"Offering me all these things like money is no object."

"I can afford it, Danny, it's not a problem."

"That's not the point. Look, you told me before how difficult it is to find people who like you for you and not your money. You ever think that maybe it works the other way around? Maybe you're overcompensating. You don't need to strut around the place like a peacock, brandishing fistfuls of dollars to make me think that's a reason to spend time with you. You can't buy a relationship, friendship, whatever."

"I don't think that, Danny, I just… I want to make things up to you."

"How about you just tell me the truth, be honest with me about things and then, I don't know, show a little support for the shit-storm in my life right now."

"I can do that, Danny, I can. If you need anything, you get me, okay? Money, to talk, a hug, whatever and I'm right here for you."

"Thanks, man. So, I'm with my mom right now, I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay, I'll see you soon."

Danny hung up on him with a small frown at Steve's sign-off but he pushed the thought aside and turned back to his mother who was glowering at him with her arms crossed. "What did he want? More sex for money?"

"Ma!"

She shrugged. "I'm just saying. You got a hundred grand from the man and apparently he got you into his bed."

"I am not having this conversation with you."

"Suit yourself," she grabbed his empty plate and took it away to the sink. "Your sisters are going to have a field day when they find out."

Ah, shit.

*

Danny had fallen onto his childhood bed and exhaustion had quickly taken over. He'd slept right into the afternoon and was woken by a bouncing on his legs. 

"Daddy!" The shrill, happy voice sounded beside him louder than any alarm clock and he woke with a smile, grabbing for his daughter and pulling her down into a hug. 

"Monkey! I missed you so much, you miss me?"

"Uh-huh," she nodded. "Uncle Matt says you're to get up and go downstairs. Only, he said it with curse words and I got five bucks."

"Is that how much you're charging these days?"

"We rounded up."

"You rounded up? Well," he moved Grace aside so he could get his feet on the ground. "I'm going to have to have a word with Uncle Matty about what he says around you before you become the richest ten year old in Jersey."

"Why didn't mom come home?" she asked as he grabbed a shirt and pulled it on.

"Well, that's a long story and not for right now, okay? Your mom and I will tell you together when she gets back in a few days. I just missed you too much, is all. I needed to see this monkey face." He pinched her cheek and tried to pinch at her stomach but she shrieked and dodged out of the way, running out of the room and downstairs. 

Danny followed at a slower pace, getting to the bottom of the stairs and hearing his brother's voice above all others as he stood, holding his phone in one hand and the magazine in another. "I'm just saying, we can cash in on it, he's already made money from this why can't we? Hey, big brother!" Matt turned at the sight of Danny and plastered the kind of fake grin onto his face that he used with his clients. 

"What's going on?" Danny asked. 

"Oh, nothing. Mom was just filling me in on your exploits and I read the article, fascinating stuff. You see this little bit at the bottom? How much do you think they'd pay to find out more about you?"

"Okay, Matty, if you don't put the phone down right now, I swear to God…"

"Your life story must be worth at least fifty bucks, right? We should call them. I'll call them."

"Matty!" Danny watched as Matt began loading numbers into his phone and he strode over, trying to grab it from his hands and the two of them ended up wrestling on the floor, clothes rumpling and hands grasping at anything they could reach.

"Boys!" The authority in Clara Williams' voice was clear. She had raised four kids; she wasn't to be messed with. 

"Sorry, Ma," they both mumbled, sitting up next to each other. 

"By the way," Matty leaned over and quietly spoke in Danny's ear. "Landing a billionaire's son? High five!" He held his hand up but Danny just scowled at him and he lowered it with an eye roll. "Fine, fine, you're no fun."

Matt stood first and put his hand out to help Danny up. "Thanks."

"Seriously, bro, divorce? That's a tough break, man. How are you holding up?"

Danny shrugged his shoulders and looked out the window to see where Grace was playing in the garden. "So long as I don't lose Grace, then I'll cope."

"She is the best niece ever," Matty nodded. 

"You only have one niece."

"And she's the best," Matty smiled. They sat down at the table together; it was the main place in the Williams household where important conversations took place. "So I'm confused as to where the GI Joe bachelor comes into all this."

"I thought mom told you everything."

"She did. And I read the article but, what's his deal? How did you even meet him? Where does a Jersey cop on vacation happen to run into a millionaire property tycoon?"

"In the casino, I guess. It's complicated."

"Gotta tell you, I'm in awe, really I am. A millionaire thinks you're hot and gives you a pile of cash to get you into bed. It's like the plot of a sleazy movie. I really hope you gave him his money's worth."

"Would you…urgh?" Danny shoved Matt's shoulder. "You're disgusting. And he didn't pay me for sex, why does my whole family suddenly think I'm a prostitute?"

"I'm just messing with you." Matt smiled and gave Danny a considering look. "You like him?"

"Against my better judgment, I think I do. But it's really not a good time to be thinking about that. Grace is my priority right now."

"Grace is ten. Ten year olds are resilient. She'll be fine. It's more about you and Rachel not killing each other while you argue over the divorce settlement. But it's okay, brother. I've got your back."

"Thanks."

*

Danny had been playing with Grace when he heard the call of his name from inside the kitchen. He let her be, leaving his mom to watch over her at the tyre swing they had in the garden and jogged back inside where Matt was sitting at his laptop. 

"You know the whole thing with your millionaire playboy?"

"Yeah, sure," Danny had given up correcting his family on how they referred to Steve. 

"I thought it was just this stupid Vegas fling. I mean, people do crazy things in Vegas and I know you're all about the straight and narrow, but even uptight cops like you need to let their hair down sometimes. And the magazine thing, you know, flash in the pan, random paparazzi, 15 minutes of fame..."

"Get to the point," Danny leaned on the table, trying to intimidate Matt like he would a suspect.

"You need to see this."

He turned the screen around so Danny could get a better look at it and he pressed play against the embedded video on the gossip website. It was Steve, there was a camera and a microphone being shoved out towards him as he walked in what looked like an airport that Danny could only assume was the one in Vegas. The reporter was out of breath keeping up with him and badgering him.

_"What can you tell us about your new boyfriend? Is it serious? Where is he at the moment?"_

_"He's with his family right now and I'd appreciate it if you gave us some privacy."_

_"Can you tell us more about him? Where you met? How long have you been dating? Is it true he's a cop?"_

Steve was ignoring the questions as best as he could, Danny was thankful for that, but the reporter was persistent.

_You came out last year and it brought a lot of attention to the debate over gays in the military, and we got used to seeing you leave events with different men every time. You said not that long ago that you weren't looking for anything serious yet now we hear rumors from inside your own hotel that you've spent a lot of time with this new man. Has something changed? Or is this just a publicity stunt to take the heat off your sister and the shooting that took place in her hotel?"_

Steve stopped and spun towards the reporter and the camera, looking angry.

_"Look, my sister had nothing to do with that. And no, it's not a publicity stunt. I wouldn't take advantage of my relationship like that. I have a private life and I try to lead it in the most normal way possible for someone in the public eye, but people see me out with someone and get curious, it can't be helped. But if what you're angling for is just how off the market I am? The answer is 'very'."_

_"Where are you flying to today?"_

_"I'm going to see Danny, now if you don't mind; I have a flight to catch."_

Well. That was something. 

Danny didn't know what to make of it. One the one hand, Steve had done his best to stay calm and to not let out any information about Danny. He hadn't said where he was going, so the press would theoretically still be floundering about trying to find a cop called Danny across 50 states, so good luck with that. But he'd called whatever he had with Danny a 'relationship'. That didn't have to mean anything, people say things when confronted by questions, and a relationship could mean anything from business to friends to committed lovers, but then he'd answered about being 'off the market' and that kind of statement spoke for itself. 

Then it hit him. "Wait, he's coming here?"

"That's what he said."

"When was this put up?"

"About five hours ago? But it might have been filmed sooner, that's just when they put it on the web."

"He might be here already," Danny said, standing abruptly.

"The doorbell hasn't rung," Matty said. 

Danny whacked him on the back of the head. "Idiot. Why would he know this address?"

"He's a millionaire! If he wants to find you, he'll find you."

"No," Danny clicked his fingers. "No, he used cameras to follow me originally, to find out my room number. If he looked me up on the hotel system he'd get my name and Rachel's. The hotels in Vegas have a crazy amount of technology to weed out criminals in the casinos, right? Card counters, cheats, stuff like that. They have access to databases, which means he probably found my driver's license. He'd have my home address from that."

"Do you have any idea how creepy that makes him sound? And do you realize how calm you are about this?" Matty asked, incredulous. 

"I know. Wow, I know. I think I'm getting used to him. Look, I need to go to the house. Can you keep an eye on Grace for me while I go do this?"

"Yeah, whatever you need."

In a flash, he was out of the house, avoiding his mother's calls, wondering where he was going as he roared his car to life, driving home as quickly as the speed limit would allow. 

He was nervous. He'd been pissed at Steve and still was, yet he'd been defending him to his family, and somehow not surprised by his actions and on top of that he was feeling thrums of anticipation at the possibility that Steve would be going to his house looking for him. It was like it was out of a goofy romantic comedy and somehow he'd just turned into Meg Ryan, which was something he really didn't want to analyze right now. 

It took twenty minutes until he was pulling up on the street outside their small home. He looked around and didn't see anything. He went straight up to the door, and there was no sign of anyone breaking in. With Steve, he felt it was a very real possibility that the man might have picked the lock and made himself at home inside. He took a quick look around the back but there was nothing there either. Maybe he'd been wrong, and Steve didn't know where he lived. Or then again, maybe his flight hadn't come in yet.

He let himself into the house and felt the weight of the situation fall over him. This place was full of everything to do with his marriage, full of things that held memories of the three of them together, of being with Rachel before Grace came along, from when they first met. All the stuff they had that they'd picked out together to decorate. He remembered painting the damn walls and the struggle they'd had hanging the wallpaper in the bedroom. The mess they'd made of the tiles in the kitchen. And they'd done it together because they couldn't afford to hire an actual decorator and in the end, they didn't care that the job wasn't perfect because it had been theirs. 

"Danny." The sound of his name from behind was relieved, hopeful and hesitant all at once and he spun to face the man standing in the doorway. 

"Steve," he replied in much the same way. 

"I wasn't sure if you'd be here. On the phone you said you were at your mom's and this was the only address I had for you. I thought if you weren't here I'd go by the nearest precinct and start asking questions…" Steve trailed off from his nervous ramble.

"What are you doing here?" Danny asked. 

"I don't want to be anywhere else," Steve responded with a strength returning to his voice, an assuredness.

Danny smiled reflexively. Steve had a habit of making him do that, there was something about him that made him happy, even if he didn't realize it or even want it, but he knew he couldn't deny it. 

"You, uh, you bring any of your media friends with you?" Steve's puzzled face met his. "I saw the thing at the airport. My brother found it, actually. I think he's going to follow this story religiously from now on."

"Oh," it dawned on Steve what 'thing' Danny was talking about. "God, they were annoying. But I've had worse. I can't guarantee they won't work out where I flew to, but I promise I haven't said anything about you, and the only other people who really know what's going on are Chin and Kono and I trust them with my life. They won't say anything, and they'll keep it at bay as much as possible."

"I appreciate that," Danny stepped closer. Steve was still in the doorway, not even coming into the house, and he likely wouldn't until Danny gave him the okay to do so. "If it was just me it wouldn't be a big deal, I can take care of myself. I just don't want Grace getting messed up in it. Not until I'm used to stuff like that. She's got enough landing on her plate with her parents breaking up; she doesn't need anything else piled on there."

"I know, I get it. I was asked a bunch of intrusive questions when my mom and dad split. I'd hate to put her through any of that."

"You don't even know her."

"But I know you. And I don't think it's possible for you to have raised a bad kid."

"She's an angel."

"I believe that," Steve smiled. "So, can I come in?" 

"No," Danny sighed and for a moment was pleased to see Steve's hurt face but that feeling slipped away quickly. Hurting Steve wouldn't make him feel better, and he much preferred seeing Steve smiling. That might actually help both of them in some way. "It's weird having you in here, you know? How about we go outside," he ventured instead. 

They sat on the steps out front. Steve's long legs resting on the same step as Danny's but making him look like a five year old who had outgrown a child size seat the way they were bunched up close to his chest.

"So, the pool? That's when you decided to stalk me like a creeper?" Danny began.

"It wasn't stalking, I just used the tools at my disposal to find out more about you. And yes, I know that doesn't make it sound any better..." 

Steve continued; opening up to Danny, telling him about the pool, the casino floor and the restaurant that first night. Those coincidences that Danny had thought were suspect but had pushed aside as unimportant had turned out to be an elaborate seduction play on Steve's part and yet, now that he'd known more about it in the last day, he'd stopped worrying about it. It seemed much smaller when he considered the bigger pictures in his life. 

"Danny, I'm the kind of guy who takes action and I'm used to doing things covertly. I'm not making excuses; I'm just saying… that's who I am. And the person that you talked to that first time, who liked you even though you didn't give a shit or take my crap… the person who you told stories to over dinner and drinks, that's all me, too, and you were right there the whole time. I didn't hide anything about who I was, everything I told you was the truth."

"You offered us money to get us apart and dressed it up as an experiment in our favor."

"You said you worked that bit out at the time; my ulterior motives."

"I did," Danny rubbed up and down his calves. "And I didn't put a stop to it when I had the chance. What does that say about _**my**_ motivations?"

Steve knocked into Danny's shoulder. "It says you liked me from the start, too."

Danny smiled, then rested his head on Steve's shoulder and began to shake with laughter. 

"What? What's so funny?" Steve asked. 

Danny straightened up. "I was thinking, my family has been reading all the gossip and stupid magazine stuff. I told them about the money you gave us and now they think I've turned into _Roxanne_ , selling my body to the night." Danny laughed again and shook his head, bringing his hand to his mouth to try and quell the giggles. 

Steve looked dumbstruck, and that just made it funnier. This incredulous look passed over him with a dawning horror as well as a cocky pride that Steve McGarrett always seemed to wear. "I think I got my money's worth," he grinned and it set Danny off again as he remembered Matt's words earlier in the day. 

"So who's minding the hotel while you're here?" Danny asked, settling his laughs with some deep breaths and changing the topic.

"Chin's got everything under control. He worked directly with my dad for years before he started with me. He and Kono have it covered, no matter how long I'm away."

"What do you mean, 'how long you're away'?"

Steve shrugged. "I mean you've got a lot of stuff going on, I don't know how long that'll be. The divorce, Grace, home, work, these things take time."

"Hold on a minute," Danny frowned, a hand up to stop Steve from talking. "Who invited you to the party?"

"I told you already, I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere. So if you want to sit around drinking beer all night then I'll be right there beside you, you need to fight Rachel in court, I'll support you as best I can, you need to go pick out curtains, I'm your man."

"You're certifiable."

"I take it Rachel will be staying in the house when she gets back? You're welcome to come live with me."

"You live in Vegas."

"I have an apartment in the City," Steve said, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Of course you do." Danny shook his head, sadly. "Still too far. I need to be here for Grace, even if it means taking a room at the shitty motel around the corner."

"We'll find something better, as close as possible," Steve looked earnestly at Danny and he couldn't help but soften in response. Here Steve was, doing what he could and meaning it. The money thing may not be an issue for him, but Danny got the impression from those eyes looking into his, that even if he was broke, Steve would be doing the best he could and that was when his defenses fell.

He moved in, a hand skimming up to Steve's neck and holding tight, and then he kissed him. It was nothing special; just dry lips touching in thanks and affection. The act was basic but the emotion behind it was meaningful and that was what made it one of the best kisses they'd shared.

They broke apart when Danny's phone went off with a familiar ringtone. "It's my mom. She'll want to know where I am. She's making dinner. Lasagna."

"I should head back to the City before it gets too late. I'm tired out from the flight."

"Yeah," Danny looked back at the house. "Tonight's the last night Grace and I will spend here together. Tomorrow I need to pack up some stuff and work out where I'm going. I'm supposed to be back at work on Monday, I need something in place by then."

"I'll take care of that, you take care of Grace," Steve stood, shaking out his legs and then he helped Danny up before pulling him in for a hug. "I'll call you later," he said as he backed up towards his rental car.


	6. Chapter 6

Dinner had been great. With Grace around, his parents and brother had been on their best behavior and hadn't mentioned anything about Steve. At best, Matt had referred to him as Danny's 'new friend', but Gracie, being the best daughter in the world, had been attentive but decided not to ask. 

By the time they were in the car heading home, she'd all but forgotten about it. 

Danny had put his tired baby into her bed, kissed her good night and turned off the light. He loved these moments because soon she'd be too old to do something like that. She'd be too busy complaining that it was too early for bed and wanting to talk to her friends on the phone for longer.

He'd slept fitfully himself, worried about the next day, about what was next for him, and just how much contact he'd get with Grace. He had no idea how Rachel would react, but he knew she'd be wanting the majority of custody. As much as he had a feeling things were to get even more strained between them, he couldn't deny that Rachel was a damned good mother. 

He got Grace off to school before sorting anything in the house, putting together a few bags of his things. Rachel was due in that evening, deciding to take her time before coming back but still coming home early from their trip. Danny had a feeling that she'd spent her extra day at least partially with this Stan Edwards guy she'd met. He was irrationally pissed off about it and had taken an instant dislike to the man. He knew he shouldn't, he knew he was just as much to blame in the marriage breakdown, and that was before mentioning his actions with Steve but he couldn't help his feelings. Rachel was still his wife and even though he'd been an asshole in what he'd done (and another part of his brain kept telling him she deserved better), he still hated the fact that she'd cheated on him. It was complicated, it was messy and his emotions were all over the place.

Kissing Steve the previous night had likely been a mistake, but he put it down to his messed up head. He knew that anything else that happened with Steve needed to be slower, it needed to be more considered… and it needed to stay out of the tabloids. Funnily enough, when he considered his frayed nerves and fuzzy head, one thing was clear: no matter what he said he'd avoid doing, he had a feeling he'd do it anyway. 

Steve stopped by later on in the morning, to find Danny still packing bits and pieces up. He didn't venture too far into the house, instead deciding to take some of Danny's things out to the car before gesturing for him to sit down on the couch. 

"So, here's the thing. I've had people looking into finding somewhere decent and it's difficult to get something fast so we have options."

'I'm listening," Danny scrubbed a hand over his eyes. 

"Option one: you stay in one of our hotels out by Newark for as long as you want. You wouldn't have to worry about money or anything. It's handy knowing the owner. But it is by an airport and it's not ideal. I don't think it's as close as you'd like."

"Option two?" Danny asked. 

"Option two, you come stay with me at my apartment for a few days, and let my people keep searching for a nice house nearby for me to buy, then we can get you moved in as soon as possible."

"Whoa, whoa, hold up. You want to buy a house here?"

"Jersey is beginning to appeal," Steve grinned. "It might take us a little time to get it sorted, but if you stay with me this weekend and then want to move to the hotel, or to your parents, that's fine."

"It's a lot, Steve. Buying a house?"

Steve shrugged. "I see it as an investment. Property always is. And it can be rented or sold on once I'm eventually done with it. If I'm ever done with it."

"I don't even know what to say right now," Danny leaned forward, his head in his hands.

Steve took his arm from the back of the couch, and rubbed Danny's back. "Just let me take care of it. I know you're stressed, you've got Grace…"

"I feel like I'm taking advantage of you."

"For a start, I offered and second, the fact that you just told me that, means you're really not. If you were, you'd just blithely accept anything I give you and from the start you've never done that. Besides, I enjoy it."

"I still don't know…" Danny leaned back again.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'll make it an order."

Danny turned and glared at Steve. "I'm not a part of your Army Ranger family; you don't get to pull rank on me."

"I'm a Navy SEAL and if it helps, then yes, I do. Lieutenant Commander outranks Detective Sergeant."

"No it doesn't, it's not remotely the same thing at all."

"I say it is."

"Oh my God, you're so annoying. Fine, fine," Danny put his hands up in surrender. "Fine, I'll stay with you for the weekend. But I need to be on hand as much as possible for Grace. Rachel and I are telling her everything tonight and I have no clue how she'll take it."

"She'll get through it. She knows you both love her and she knows she'll still have both of you in her life. That's the most important thing."

Danny leaned into Steve. When the other man was like this, he couldn't help but feel drawn to him. Mind you, he couldn't help but feel drawn to him all the time. Except when he was annoying and Danny got the urge to punch him, but then, you had to get close to be able to do that. Steve was distractingly hot with his body and his smile and those tattoos… and then he looked at Danny and a surge would go through Danny's body and he'd find himself agreeing to anything the man wanted, like a dopey yet growly puppy. Danny always believed he was a 'manly' man - strong, independent, didn't back down from anyone, took care of the people he loved and yet with Steve, the idea of curling up in his arms was beginning to feel really tempting. Especially with the way he'd been these last few days. 

Steve's arm came further around Danny and rubbed his shoulder, pulling him closer. "I've got something else to ask you," the hesitant voice started. 

"I'm not having sex with you because you're buying a house in Jersey. I'm not going to give my mother any more ammunition, and the fact she's talked to me about my sex life is scarring enough."

"No," Steve huffed. "It's about tomorrow."

"What about it?" Danny pulled back.

"So there's this thing. They have it around this time every year in New York and my dad always attends on behalf of the family but since he's ill, and he found out last night that I was here… he wants me to go."

"So go, I'm not stopping you."

"I want you to come with me. There's two tickets, well… the company buys a table at the event, usually three board members get invited and bring significant others, the other two seats are for dad and whoever he takes, so… I have a spot to take someone with me."

"Are you asking me out?" Danny narrowed his eyes, partially in amusement at how Steve was going about it.

"I'm asking if you'll accompany me to a charity dinner for the Navy Benevolent Fund."

"As your date."

"As my date, yes." Steve finally admitted with an eye roll. 

"I… I don't know about Grace, and I haven't looked out my tux in a while…" When Steve looked crestfallen, Danny rushed to continue. "But if everything works out, then yeah, I'll go with you."

Steve's face changed to a beaming smile. "Great, thank you. I hate going to these things alone and the board members will just want to suck up to me. They think with my father the way he is and me beginning to step up, that they can brown-nose me to get on my good side."

"You clearly need a handler. It seems that's becoming my job. Like I wasn't busy enough rounding up criminals…"

"I should be insulted but since this means I get to spend more time with you, then I don't care. I might even start stashing grenades around the place, just to see your face when you find them."

"Don't you dare. And if you do, make sure it's nowhere near my daughter, you animal."

"I'll show you 'animal'…" A predatory look passed over Steve's face and Danny, against his body's desire, pushed him back.

"Not right now, I need to get to my parent's place, make sure they've got stuff organized for Grace since I'm taking her there until Rachel's flight arrives. We'll meet her at the airport, get her home and then break the news."

"Okay, well uh… I'll take your stuff back with me and maybe do a bit of unpacking. It'll make things easier on you later. I can pick you up once you're ready to come with me."

"You don't have to; you can come with me, have lunch and… stuff."

"No, no, that's okay," Steve responded too quickly and Danny thought he might be catching on. 

"Is this about my mom?" he asked. "I mean, I know she's taken this instant dislike to you, but I'm sure if she meets you-"

"She hates me?" Steve interrupted with a swallow.

"Yeah umm, the paparazzi stuff and the thing in Vegas… oh my God, you _**are**_ scared to meet her." Danny smiled, feeling like he had one up on Steve. "The big, bad Navy SEAL, decorated war hero, is scared to meet a middle aged woman from Jersey?"

Steve took a moment. "Not scared, no. I just don't think it's an appropriate time yet. I'll admit, that as well as you're taking this stuff and the speed I'm moving things along at… well, I know it's all going fast and not everyone is going to be thrilled about it."

"Okay, fine, run away like a girl, though my daughter wouldn't even do that. I'll call you later."

*

Danny sat on the step outside the house. 

It had been a hell of a day. He'd made things as good for Grace as he could and they'd spent some quality time coloring in and playing in the back yard before having dinner with his mom and dad again. Grace had been wondering why they weren't at their own home, but his mom was a lifesaver and told her that she still wanted her Grace-time, despite the fact that Danny, and now Rachel, had come home early from vacation. 

They picked up Rachel at the airport and the car felt awkward on the way home. Neither of them really spoke to each other, really only directly to Grace.

Once they got in, Grace went to play in her room and get some homework done while Danny and Rachel tried to psych themselves up for what they had to do. They'd called Grace out to the living room and broken the news to her that her mom and dad were getting a divorce, which meant they'd be living in separate places. But no matter what, they both loved her and both would spend as much time as they possibly could with her but things might get complicated for a while. 

Grace may be ten, but she understood. She didn't cry, she seemed resigned to it, like she'd seen her parents' marriage falling apart all along in a way much too wise for her years. A few of her friends at school had single parents for whatever reason, or divorced parents so she understood what it meant. But as she went back to her room, telling them she hadn't finished her homework, they could hear through the door that she was upset. Rachel told Danny not to go in and see her. If she'd wanted to, she'd have cried in their presence, she needed to take a moment alone. She was a lot like Rachel in that way; preferring to digest things on her own, in her own time. 

Danny had called Steve and he was on his way. He suspected that Steve had been waiting for the call somewhere nearby, and he was proved right when it took no more than five minutes for Steve to appear in front of him. 

He lifted his head from where he was sitting on the step, and his red eyes must have spoken volumes to Steve, because the other man just sat beside him and pulled him into a hug. 

"Is she okay?" Steve asked.

"I made my baby girl cry, Steve." He mumbled against Steve's neck, making his collar soggy with his tears.

"I'm sorry, D. I'm so sorry," Steve rubbed soothing circles on Danny's back, squeezing over his shoulders. "Come on, you're not okay either. We need to get you out of here. Let's go."

Somehow Steve got Danny to the car and inside it. From there, Danny spent the ride into Manhattan staring out of his window. Steve pulled into an underground parking structure and found a spot before coming round the car to find Danny was already out and looking around.

"I'm on the 8th floor, the elevator's over here," he gestured for Danny to move to him, which he did, and an arm went over his shoulders as they made their way up. 

Steve's New York apartment wasn't as grandiose as his penthouse at the The Pearl, but it was fitted with all the up-to-date appliances you could think of and had spacious rooms and a big bathroom with a massive bathtub and Danny could see a sliding door that led out to a small balcony. Steve didn't bother with a tour, just pointed out the important things and steered Danny into the bedroom. 

Steve turned him so they were facing each other and put a hand on each shoulder. "You doing okay?"

"Not really," Danny answered honestly. "I don't like being away from her like this, I don't like the uncertainty. I hate change. And I'm so tired."

"I'll take care of as much of it as I can." Steve's hands slipped up to cup Danny's cheeks, leaning in to place a soft kiss on his lips. "Getting some sleep will help, okay? Let's get you into bed."

"I don't-"

"Just bed, Danny."

"Okay."

Going into the bathroom, Danny spared a glance to discover Steve had laid out everything for him, including a pair of pajama bottoms to wear in bed. He was grateful to not have to worry about thinking right now, and quickly enough he came back into the room and stared at the bed wondering if it was really such a good idea for him to be here. 

Steve did have another room. At least, he was pretty sure an apartment like this must have a second bedroom… unless Steve had converted it. As he stood, Steve approached from behind and ran his hands down Danny's arms. "Come on," he guided Danny under the covers and Danny curled into a ball, feeling sorry for himself and thinking about how simple things could be if he just got drunk, and maybe just continued to get drunk for the next few months. But no, he had Grace to think about, and a job he really needed to not get fired from. 

Before he could well up again, thinking about Grace's soft crying from behind that door, arms wrapped around him, warm and strong. "It may not be easy, but you'll get past this, Danny."

Danny didn't say anything, just burrowed back into Steve's hold and hoped to God that he was right. 

*

The first thing Danny had done after having a morning coffee was to phone Grace and hearing her was enough to start making him feel better. Maybe sleeping had been good for her too, because now she seemed more at ease and was asking more about Danny and where he was and about if she could decorate a room when he got a new place. He'd promised her anything and everything, if only to make sure he didn't fuck up her emotional state anymore. 

She had plans for the day with her friends and that was good. He'd hoped she might ask to see him for a while but on the other hand, keeping to her regular lifestyle was probably better for her, and he didn't want her to have to choose between people. He never wanted that. No matter how things got with Rachel, he knew he didn't want anyone to make Grace decide which parent she wanted to spent time with and when. He wanted her life stable, and he wanted his life stable, too. 

He was actually in a relatively good mood when Steve came in looking all sweaty after being out for a run to who knows where. His hair was plastered to his forehead, sweat marks dotted over his tight tank top and his shorts hung low. 

Seeing Danny look, Steve stalked him into the kitchen counter, laughing. 

"You stink! Go get in the shower and stop trying to rub your stink onto me, you're like an untrained, slobbering dog, get off!" Danny pushed against him. 

"You could come with me."

"No, I couldn't, I've known you less than a week and I already know what you'd do if we were both in there together and today is not the day for more of that, go!"

Steve pouted, but settled for nipping little kisses against Danny's lips before letting him go and heading for the bathroom while Danny whipped up breakfast for them both. Today felt like a pancake day, even if he did have to get into a tux later on. 

*

During the afternoon, they'd visited a tailor Steve knew. His main excuse was that he wanted his own suit checked for its fit, but he also decided that Danny should get a new tux and so, after an argument about Steve buying Danny things again that he didn't need because he had a perfectly good and functional black tuxedo, they'd spent about three or four hours having pins stuck in them and hands feeling down their bodies until they looked as good as could be.

Danny refused the bow tie on principal. He never liked wearing them, and told Steve that he would be wearing one of his own ties, no matter if Steve bought him an entire tie store and the other man had relented and only bought himself a new one. 

Getting ready together had been more natural than Danny had expected. He didn't know what he'd thought might happen, whether it would be awkward while they got used to how each other operated, but it didn't. They fit. It was comfortable and they worked without needing to even say very much. 

Steve looked amazing, his suit making him look slim and handsome. He'd neglected to shave for the evening and his five o'clock shadow had him looking just this side of rough and ready. 

"How is it you look like James Bond and I just look like a glorified waiter?"

"Shut up, Danny, you don't look like a waiter. But you do look like something I'd happily have someone serve me for dinner," he wagged his eyebrows at Danny.

"That's the hunger talking. Seriously, why did we eat lunch so early, I really hope they serve decent sized portions tonight, I'm starving already."

"The car's waiting outside, you'll get fed soon enough."

They made their way into the elevator and headed down to the ground floor. "I hope you realize I'm only doing this for the food. It beats pizza and beer, at least for one night."

"Of course. I'd never assume you were doing the favor of providing me with your company tonight because you like me or anything."

"Good," Danny smiled as they made their way out front and into the waiting car. 

"So, there's going to be some press here tonight," Steve said, barely looking at Danny as he did so.

"You tell me this now?" Danny asked with frustration. 

"It's just some photographers out front. They always turn out for these things. There's politicians attending, prominent businessmen, it happens. The easiest thing will be if I get out first, smile and wave a little for the cameras and then you and I just make our way in. You don't have to even acknowledge them."

"What if they ask questions?"

'We can ignore them and walk on, if that's what you'd like."

When the car pulled up at the event, Danny looked through the door as Steve got out to see that there were more than 'a few' cameras flashing away and they had a good 30 or 40 feet to walk up the red carpeted steps to get inside.

He took a breath and clambered out of the car, taking the hand Steve offered him, pulling him up. The car door was closed behind him and he squinted his eyes as he got used to the flashes from the cameras. Steve pulled him into his side with an arm around his waist and they began to make their way up the steps when Danny heard the questions… at first they were fine, asking Steve about his father and why he was attending instead. They stopped walking, Steve gave Danny's side a reassuring squeeze and he turned to answer the questions. 

"My father is still recovering, he asked me to take his place. It's a charity we hold dear to our hearts for obvious reasons and I'm always proud to support events like these across the country and will continue to do so in the future."

"What can you tell us about the speculation over your relationship?"

Steve glanced at Danny before answering. "We're just like everyone else, spending time together, getting to know one another better."

"And the fact that Detective Williams is married?"

Okay. That was his name and rank, that was information about _**him**_. Danny took a step back, and the fingers holding lightly behind Steve began to fidget with the wedding band he was still wearing. Steve kept hold of him, sensing his unease and turned them away to continue walking inside.

"No comment," he said in answer as they passed by and then more flashes went off than before. 

Danny leaned closer to Steve's ear to speak to him amongst the noise around them. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't know how they found out, Danny, but journalists always do."

"Not that, I thought it would happen sooner or later but you said we'd go straight in!"

"I'm sorry. I only meant to answer about my father. I thought it might come up. I had that answer planned out. I didn't think they'd ask more about us."

They made it inside the door and Danny dropped his hands from Steve and rounded on him, waving his arms. "Really? You're kidding me, right? We've been splashed across tabloids and gossip sites for two days and you thought they wouldn't ask you about us?"

"The reporters at events like this are usually more respectful about why I'm here, not who I'm with, I'm sorry," Steve's shoulders hunched.

Danny shook his head. "My brother has been sending me stupid texts and yet he didn't warn me they'd found out who I was. Now what do we do?"

"Now," Steve steered Danny into the main hall where the tables were laid out. "We eat. We mingle. We make polite conversation, I pledge some money to charity, maybe bid in the silent auction and then we go home."

*

Dinner was served in that pretentious way that Danny couldn't stand but he had to admit, it tasted damn good and the four courses filled him up, which was the important thing. Conversation had been polite around the table as he found out the names of the board and their wives and then promptly forgot them again. They feigned interest in Danny's life for all of a few minutes before turning their attention to John McGarrett and how he was doing, and then everyone did their best to relax before dessert was served by loosening up and chatting about other people around them and what they might bid on before the auction ended. 

Throughout dinner, a string quartet played but they made way for a band that wouldn't be out of place at a wedding and the whole event took on a lighter tone. 

Steve sat back in his chair. "Oh no," he moaned.

"What is it?" Danny asked, turning to him. 

"Over there," Steve gestured with his head. "Victor Hesse."

"I know that name," Danny said. "He's been linked to organized crime, but it's never been proven."

Steve nodded. "He's got too much behind him to get caught, but I've always believed he's corrupt. And he hates me."

"What did you do to him?"

"It's more what I did to his brother."

"Which was?"

"I gave the police what they needed to put Anton in jail for bribing a city official."

"I remember. That was you?"

Steve nodded again and shrugged. "Just wanted to do the right thing."

"You think he knows you're here?"

"Without a doubt. But if we ignore him, he can't spoil our night," Steve turned to Danny with a smile. "In fact, come on." Steve pushed his seat back and stood, reaching out for Danny's hand and pulling him out onto the dance floor among the other couples slowly moving to the soft beat.

Steve pulled Danny close in a loose dance hold, lifting Danny's arm by his wrist and tucking it in-between their bodies, right by his heart, and gently swayed them, taking in the slight flush on Danny's cheeks. "You do know how to dance, right?" He asked, teasing.

"Of course I do. I just generally choose not to."

Steve kept Danny's hand tucked in by him but let go, using his now free hand to loosen Danny's tie out and undo the top button of his shirt. "There," he said. 

"What was that for?"

"I'm trying to get you to loosen up," Steve shook them slightly. "You're a bit stiff."

"I'm dancing in front of all these people who are probably judging us. I'm surprised you got this much out of me."

"They're all thinking 'my God, what a handsome couple they make'."

Danny couldn't help but smile at Steve's comment, which was enough to loosen his shoulders more and he slumped further against Steve. The music changed to something even slower, more romantic, and Steve took full advantage of the change in pace and moved his hand from Danny's back to his head, pulling him in to rest Danny's forehead against his cheek. 

As they danced, he traced up Danny's arm until it could take Danny's hand and twine their fingers together. He sighed and Danny could feel the movement through his own body. Steve leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. He smiled against Danny and spoke softly. "Let everything else fall away and just concentrate on me."

"That, I can do," Danny whispered back before Steve kissed him again, this time licking along his bottom lip before pushing into Danny's mouth and tangling their tongues together and Danny allowed himself to get lost in the moment and the feel of Steve with him. 

As they pulled apart again, Steve looked into his eyes. "See? Dancing isn't so bad."

Danny ducked his head, his forehead hitting Steve's shoulder and they both shook in laughter. As the music shifted to something more upbeat Danny shoved Steve away from him. "I thought you had an auction to bid in."

"Fine, but I'd rather bid on you. Maybe I can convince them to do a bachelor auction."

"You can't afford me, sailor."

"According to your mother, I can."

Danny pushed Steve away again with a shocked, sarcastic smile. "That is a low blow, McGarrett. Get away from me. Go. You disgust me."

"Fine," Steve backed away with a grin and his hands up. "I'll buy you something nice."

Danny shook his head and once he lost sight of Steve he made his way to the restrooms. On his way out, a figure blocked his path and he looked up to meet cold eyes and high cheekbones. 

"Well, well, I've been wondering when you'd leave McGarrett's side for more than a minute."

"Mr. Hesse," Danny said, resignedly, not looking forward to whatever conversation this might be.

"You know who I am. I'm flattered."

"I wouldn't be." Hesse took a step closer, and Danny's back hit the wall, but he refused to be intimidated. "Back off, buddy."

"Or what?" Hesse's eyes roamed over Danny and then he reached out, the backs of his fingers running down Danny's tie. 

"Or I knee you in the balls then punch you in the face."

"And bring even more attention to yourself? I don't think so. Because until Britney Spears or Miley Cyrus have meltdowns, you and McGarrett are the flavor of the moment for all those gossip rags and I have a feeling you'd prefer to keep a low profile."

"What do you want, Hesse?"

"I'm going to do you a favor, Williams; I'm going to give you some advice."

"This should be interesting."

Before Hesse could say anything else, there was a booming voice from nearby. "Hey!" it growled angrily and Steve came storming into view, pulling Hesse back from Danny and getting between them. "You want to tell me what you're playing at, Victor?"

Hesse put his hands up in surrender. "Just having a friendly chat with your new squeeze. Well done, by the way. If I'd have known they made police officers like that I'd have turned Anton in myself."

Steve hauled back and sacked Hesse in the jaw, his head jerking back with the movement. Steve stood over the other man as he clutched his face. "Leave."

Hesse laughed as he backed up and headed away from where they were and Steve turned to Danny who scowled at him. "What?" Steve asked.

"I don't need you to come storming in and fight my battles for me."

"I didn't… he hates me, he was doing all that to get a rise out of _**me**_ in the first place, it wasn't about you," Steve gave excuses. 

"Not the point!" Danny yelled, then lowered his voice to avoid attention again. "I was taking care of it. You didn't need to use violence! I'm a trained police officer; I was getting into his head, that's how we do things. I'm not some damsel in distress that needs you to rescue me."

Steve gaped at Danny, understanding in his eyes, realizing how he might have insulted him but unwilling to apologize because if Danny had learned anything about Steve lately, it was that he liked to be in control, hated when he wasn't and didn't like to admit he was wrong.

"Your way was too slow."

"I'm sorry, too slow?" Danny asked incredulously

"He was touching you."

"Oh, I get it," Danny said, eyebrows raised. "This is the caveman routine coming out to play? Hesse just tried to invade your territory and you decided to display your dominance, is that it?"

Steve tilted his head. "Pretty much, yeah."

"You're a nightmare." Danny brushed by Steve and stalked back to their table, sitting with a polite nod to the others who had missed all the drama. Steve joined them a few moments later, tail between his legs. 

The auction had ended and now the results were being announced and, forgetting the row they'd just had, Steve seemed to be very pleased with himself as they began reading through things. Vacations, once in a lifetime opportunities and expensive jewelry all were read out and Steve's name hadn't been mentioned yet. Danny was just beginning to think Steve had lost out when they said the winner of 'Lot 17' was Steve McGarrett, who fisted the air with a quiet 'yes!'.

He turned and leaned into Danny with a smug look on his face. "I told you I'd get you something nice."

"What…?" Danny looked to the stage where the announcer read what the item was, while an image was projected onto the screen behind. It was a brand new, silver Chevy Camaro.

"You like it, right?"

"You bid on a car," Danny said, stunned. He'd seen some season tickets for the Jets in the auction that would go for 500; maybe 1000 dollars if people were generous, and thought Steve might do something nice like that since he'd likely give that money to charity happily anyway but _**this**_? Camaros were not cheap. Not at all. 

"For you. Well, for us. For you."

"Steve, you're insane."

"You keep saying things like that," Steve reached out and took Danny's hand while the others at the table looked on curiously, some fondly, others seemingly agreeing with Danny.

"This time, I think I really mean it."

"You don't like it."

"It's a Camaro, Steve," Danny gestured to the image before it changed to the next auctioned Lot. "No one in their right mind would hate a car like that, but I can't accept this."

"It's practical, Danny. That Taurus you have has racked up how much mileage? And you're doing a lot of driving to see Grace now, what if it broke down, huh? You need a new car. I got you one."

"Steve-"

"Plus, we can get it outfitted with police lights and sirens and all the things you need for work. I checked it out before I put my bid in, and it's not too difficult to get it customized."

"Shut up, Steve!"

"What?"

"Come here," Danny pulled on the lapel of Steve's jacket and hauled him in for a kiss. When their lips parted he didn't let go. "I have just one rule. But it's important."

"What's that?"

"No grenades in the car."

*

After Steve's purchase they celebrated with alcohol and Danny relaxed some more. His thoughts drifted occasionally to Grace and Rachel back at home and when guilt crept over him he took another swig of scotch and ignored it. At least, where Rachel was concerned it was easy enough to ignore, not so much when he wondered if Grace missed having him there to tuck her into bed. 

It must have been close to 2 a.m. when the car pulled up to collect them and Steve ushered him outside. There was still a few photographers around but certainly not the amount there had been before. Now it was just the most determined of paps who had stayed, and that, Danny decided was a bad omen. 

As one of them spoke to Steve, he abandoned Danny long enough to get closer. Danny shied away, keeping an eye on the red steps in front of him and heading for the car, concentrating on trying to not look like he was too drunk, while Steve acted like his lunatic self. 

Danny hadn't heard the question but he could hear Steve's reply. "It was a very nice night, just the one hairy moment but we had a nice dinner and the charity made a lot of money so that's the important thing."

Was that a video camera one of those guys had? It didn't look like the ones Danny saw at crime scenes, not as big, but he didn't seem to be snapping anything and there was no flash but it was being held up…

"I am, I'm very happy," Steve said, and yet again, Danny seemed to have missed the question.

"How about a kiss for the camera?" Well, he heard _**that**_ question.

"Oh, no no _**no**_ ," Danny said, a hand up as Steve spread his arms trying to beckon him over. "I'm getting in the car, you should too, you're drunk, Steven."

Danny had a hand on the open door when Steve reached for his elbow and was able to get them face to face and dragged him back towards the camera. "Come on, baby, they asked nicely."

"I have work on Monday, Steven, I don't need this spread over the internet." Danny dug his heels in.

"It's just you and me, remember? Everything else just falls away," Steve looked into his eyes, though neither of them had very good focus. Steve's big hands roamed over Danny. They skirted up and down his arms, then one moved to the back of his neck and the other to his cheek and then there were lips. Lips and pressure and tongue and difficulty breathing and Danny didn't care. He kissed Steve back with abandon and gripped a hand against his waist underneath Steve's jacket and then slipped it up his chest.

Steve moved his lips away from Danny's, brushing soft kisses against his temple and forehead and down the other side of his face as he kept Danny snug against him and they stood. Steve's fingers traced a pattern against Danny's forearm and hand where they were against him and then he whispered against Danny's ear so no one else could hear, "I'm taking you home and I'm going to fuck you through the mattress."

Danny gulped and his eyes darted over to the cameras, aware again of their presence and wondering if they were pleased or not that they'd stuck around to catch most of this on camera. 

"Come on, Don Juan, get in the car," Danny pulled Steve the few steps, walking backwards as he did so and rather than gracefully turning and climbing in, Steve all but pushed him down and followed him, settling himself over Danny as the door was closed behind them. 

Steve crawled over Danny, making it difficult for him to move as his hands got to work pulling on his tie and buttons. "Steve, not here, ow!" Danny managed to simultaneously elbow himself in the side while Steve bit down on his collarbone on what was quickly becoming a favorite spot.

Danny got some purchase on the leather seat and pushed himself up as best he could, wedged into the corner by the door and Steve's head slipped down his body, turning to lie on his back and look up into Danny's face. He reached a hand up to finish undoing Danny's tie, letting it hang around his neck and used uncoordinated fingers to open each button on the way down his shirt as far as he could before slipping the hand inside to tease through Danny's chest hair and play over his nipples.

Danny ran his fingers through Steve's hair, petting him, while his other hand lay comfortably over Steve's taut stomach, the warmth seeping through his shirt and into Danny. 

"I wanna do everything with you," Steve said, earnestly.

"Everything?" Danny asked, wondering where this was going. 

"Everything. And I don't mean sexually. Well, okay, I do, but not _**just**_ in bed, I mean I want you to come with me to all these events I have to go to, and I want to go on vacation with you, and go shopping for groceries, or to a football game… and I want to work with you, so I don't have to worry about what can happen if I'm not there."

"Steve, you've known me all of five days."

" I know, Danny. I know it's fast, but I don't care. I've got you stuck in my brain and my heart and I want all of you."

Danny curled himself down and kissed Steve's forehead, watching the other man's eyes close as he did so, feeling the hand at the back of his neck keeping him down. 

The car stopped and the driver got out, which could only mean they'd arrived back at Steve's apartment. Rather than waiting on the door to open, Steve leapt up with an awareness a drunk man shouldn't have and he got there first, pushing it open and grabbing Danny's hand to pull him along. They made it into the elevator and Danny was pushed against the back wall. Steve took his hand and guided it down to feel his hardening dick. 

"You feel that? It's all for you." Steve asked, seductively low in Danny's ear. "I'm gonna shove inside you so hard. I'm gonna make you scream my name for more. I'm gonna make you want it to last forever while you're desperate to come."

Steve's dirty words were making Danny melt into the wall. "Please…" he moaned, the blood rushing in his ears and his heart beating a thumping rhythm in his chest. Steve's teeth tugged on Danny's earlobe as the elevator dinged for their floor and Steve's weight was gone as Danny was pulled like a rag doll again until they were inside the door of the apartment. 

Immediately, Steve's lips were on Danny and he felt his body leaning back with the onslaught as jackets were torn off, ties abandoned on the floor, shoes flipped in all directions and belts clattered to the floor with pants and underwear. Shirt buttons were popped with no regard to their expense and replaced with soft sheets underneath as they tumbled onto the bed, rolling over it as hands and lips explored once more, frenzied and needy, Danny had no idea how he'd be expected to last when Steve was turning into the animal he had accused him of being.

As slick fingers pressed for entry, Steve's teeth latched onto a nipple, sending jolts of pain and pleasure through Danny's body, making him arch off the bed trying to get more.

"I want you to feel me, baby, you ready?"

"Yeah, yes, Steve, come on."

Steve pulled Danny down the bed with hands under his knees and turned him, to get him in place, then slid in behind him, making sure Danny was braced before using one hand to splay his ass cheeks open and the other to guide his cock closer. He rubbed the head of his dick against Danny, smearing pre-cum and lube against him before pushing in, barely giving Danny time to adjust to the feeling before pulling out and thrusting further in. 

Steve wanted Danny to feel this, he wanted him to remember what they'd done, to know it with every step in a primal, possessive way and Danny could only think it was a reaction to Hesse being a douche earlier in the evening. As Danny grunted louder with the feeling of Steve stretching him wide, he could almost thank Hesse for spurring Steve on. As much as he rallied against being treated like a piece of meat, or like a delicate flower, he couldn't deny that he was very much enjoying Steve taking him like this. It helped him forget, it helped him move on, it helped him feel a different type of pain, it helped him get some pleasure when his life was a mess. It helped make him feel like he belonged to, belonged _**with**_ someone. And God, it felt good. 

He called out Steve's name, just like Steve had promised him he would and he begged Steve to touch him, to make him come, he needed it.

They both crashed onto the mattress in a sweaty mess, Steve still thrusting through his orgasm, unwilling to pull out until he had nothing left in him. He turned away long enough to dispose of the condom over the side of the bed and returned to facing Danny who was now lying on his back and working out the kinks in his sore muscles. 

Steve's hand gripped into Danny's side, and his teeth grazed over Danny's shoulder and upper arm. He threw a leg over Danny's, his thigh raised to brush against Danny's spent cock. "Hmmmmm," he hummed as he nuzzled Danny's neck. 

Danny shifted, trying to get a little more comfortable, grimacing as he felt a twinge. 

Steve raised his head. "You okay, baby? You sore?"

Danny's hand landed on what he thought was Steve's hip and rubbed reassuringly. "Yeah, but it's a good sore. I needed that."

"There's plenty more where that came from," Steve settled his head back down, turning Danny to face him and running a hand over his ass, fingers dipping down to his hole as he squeezed possessively. 

They nipped tiredly at each other's lips but didn't have the energy or breath control to give in to much more.

Danny's mind drifted worriedly again, but this time it wasn't about Rachel, it was about Steve. How long could he really stay nearby despite his romantic notions of having a house in Jersey for Danny and helping him through the divorce? He couldn't leave the resort in Vegas for too long, surely? No matter how capable the hands, _Steve_ was in charge and having him there was a key element in the hotel's success and surely Steve knew that.

In a weakened and needy moment before drifting off, Danny heard himself talk out loud. "Please stay…"

It took a few seconds, and he thought Steve was asleep before a mumbled response came out. "Not going anywhere, nothing will make me leave you."

Danny hugged his arms tighter around Steve as he drifted off.


	7. Chapter 7

Danny woke sometime in the middle of the night to the feel of hands and lips mapping indistinct shapes over his bare back. He was lying on his stomach, his legs apart and Steve was between them, exploring over Danny's body, light touches giving way to kneading muscle and Danny grunted with a rough sounding voice as he came to.

Seeing Danny was awake, Steve glided his chest up against Danny's back, slotting them both together and nosed at the back of Danny's neck. "You're awake then?"

"Can't sleep with you moving about like that," Danny mumbled into his pillow, a hand coming back to fumble at Steve's side. 

"I'm gonna move a whole lot more," Danny could feel the curl of Steve's lips and then his hands skirting over his sides and down. Steve's dick was nestled by Danny's ass and he could feel its determined hardness. He widened his own legs in approval, then heard the pop of a cap as lube was opened somewhere beside them. 

Steve lifted up, just enough to get his hand between them and began preparing Danny who still felt somewhat loose, but his breath hitched as Steve probed over raw skin from their earlier fun. Danny pushed back against Steve's fingers as they brushed against his prostate and suddenly his whole body was aware of everything around it; the feel of the air on his skin, the warmth of Steve behind him, the feel of the sheet underneath. 

This time, Steve was slow and careful as his cock entered Danny, aware of the effects their previous rougher sex had had on Danny's body. As he slid inside, he lowered himself over Danny's body and dug his hands underneath, between Danny and the sheets, and hugged him tightly against him. His movements were shallow, slow, like he was content to just be inside Danny and was holding off his orgasm. 

They moved with each other, Danny's hard dick rubbing off against the mattress, trapped below him, with Steve ignoring any need Danny might have to get off and concentrating on being close to Danny, as close as humanly possible, buried deep inside the smaller man and holding tight enough to almost choke off his breath.

Steve's chin came over Danny's shoulder and he turned to kiss him. At this angle it was sloppy, messy, and uncontrolled. But it was magnificent, sensual, hot, and all about them while the world fell away. Steve could get Danny out of his head. He could get Danny to want nothing but him. It was addictive and dangerous and he didn't care because he felt an innate trust in Steve that he couldn't explain and didn't want to. 

"Danny," Steve breathed against his shoulder. "It's all you. Fuck, all I want is you."

"Babe, please," Danny rocked his hips, changing the angle. He was loving the slow fucking, the way they felt connected and in tune with each other, but he needed to get off, he needed to come.

"Does it feel good, D? No barrier, just us, just you and me and nothing else matters." Danny felt it. His hazy, aroused mind now noticed that Steve was bare for the first time since they'd been together. There was no slide of rubber inside him, it was just Steve. 

Danny clenched, giving a jolt to Steve, making him lose his rhythm. "Steve, I need…"

"What do you need? I'll give you anything, Danny."

"Harder, push harder…fuck…" Danny swore as Steve did as he asked, feeling like he was getting deeper than before, opening Danny up, making sure he couldn't think, couldn't move, couldn't do anything except let Steve fuck him raw. "That's it. More…"

Steve arms shifted, his hands coming to hold under and around both of Danny's shoulders for leverage. "Let me in, baby, that's good… yeah… yes." Steve shuddered through his orgasm, shoving himself hard into Danny, his whole body stiffening as he rode through it, coming inside Danny and staying there, cock jerking as he tried to go deeper and deeper inside.

Danny whimpered, desperate to join Steve and let go but the friction wasn't enough, he needed more. Sensing his need, Steve turned them enough so he could move a hand down, his softening cock still partly inside Danny. He squeezed his dick, and Danny stopped breathing for a moment at the feel, then Steve suddenly let go again and it was like torture. 

Steve shushed him, telling him to relax in quiet tones, his hand going to Danny's mouth and ordering him to lick it, tongue scraping over skin that he could taste sex on. When it returned to his cock it felt like sweet relief as Steve jerked him off, bringing him quickly to a point where waves of heat crashed through him and he spurted his cum over the sheets and over Steve's hand. 

As they lay there, Steve's hold still strong around him, cock slowly coming out of Danny as movement created a little space between them, Danny reached down for Steve's hand before he could wipe it off and brought it back to his mouth, licking his own cum from it, imaging Steve's surprised but turned on face as a result. 

"We need to invest in some toys," Steve blurted out as Danny released his hand. 

"What? Why?" Danny asked, twisting his head and gulping down a yelp as Steve's cock finally left him, rubbing against his abused hole as he got comfortable. 

Steve brought his head closer to Danny's and licked over his cheek and onto his lips before taking his mouth in a possessive kiss. "Because I want to see just how much of a dirty slut you can be."

"You don't need toys for that," Danny smiled, closing his eyes.

"Maybe not, but they'll make it more fun. I want to make you come so hard you pass out. I want to be able to have a marathon session where you beg for my dick… in your perfect ass, or your perfect mouth. I want to lock you up and have my wicked way with you, take you out of your head."

"You have one hell of an imagination. I wholeheartedly approve. The more brain cells you can kill the better," Danny yawned at the end, held onto Steve's wrist, and pulled his arm around him like he would a blanket. 

"I just want to be with you," Steve sighed into Danny's hair, nuzzling against him as he settled into him once more. Danny was drifting, but he heard Steve's voice and it soothed him. 

"I want you to stay."

*

The next morning was painful. Danny was no stranger to a painful Sunday morning of the headache variety and the hangover he had on this particular Sunday was no different. And he got little solace from the fact that Steve had one, too. 

But Danny was also sore in other places. His muscles ached like he'd had too hard a workout in the gym, his shoulder had a twinge from where it had been dislocated before and when he stepped out of the shower, it felt like he'd washed his ass with a scouring pad. 

But none of that mattered because he'd been entirely fucked, had the soreness and the red marks on his skin to prove it and it had been a much better antidote than the alcohol in helping him through his family situation.

He still felt the guilt of sleeping with Steve while technically still married, he still really disliked Stan Edwards for sleeping with his wife, and he hated that they would end up fighting over Grace. Money and property didn't matter, Grace did. 

But sleeping with Steve, being with him, having his support - it was an unexpected lifeline and he was incredibly grateful for it. Even without their hook ups in Vegas, he knew in his heart of hearts that the marriage would have been over on their return. And he had a feeling that without Steve around, he'd currently be sitting in the motel around the corner from his house, drinking cheap beer all night with Matty to get him out of his head long enough to sleep before going to work the next day. At least with Steve, if they kept going as they were minus the parties and alcohol, he knew he'd be able to wake up with a clear head over the coming months, and he'd be able to get some sleep after being worn out. And the aches and throbs in his body were much more pleasant than throwing up and hanging his head, and they'd give him a reminder that Steve would be there later on to do it all again if Danny needed it. 

Maybe it was taking advantage of Steve, but then so far, he'd never been the one to initiate it. Steve seemed determined to know everything about Danny's body. He certainly fucked like it was what he wanted and not some strange way of apologizing for thinking he messed up Danny's life all by himself. But he'd only known Steve a short time, and they'd gone so fast and rushed so much into things. Hell, he was _**living**_ with Steve right now. How in the name of God did this even happen?

He ran a hand over the bite marks on his lower neck, relieved that a shirt collar and tie would cover them up but glad he had them, and secured a towel around his hips. He ambled out of the bathroom and into the living area and open-plan kitchen to find Steve standing in a pair of worn shorts making a smoothie in some awful grayish-green color. 

"You want some?" Steve gestured to it, eyes still a bit red from his hangover.

"Not if it was the last food on Earth."

"It's good for you."

"A lot of things are good for me, doesn't mean I'm going to do them." Danny approached Steve and slid his arms around him while he poured the gunk into a glass. He laid his head on him and breathed in against his chest, then kissed a trail up and into his throat, feeling the bob of Steve's Adam's apple as he drank. 

Once Steve put the glass down again, his hands went behind Danny, gripping into the towel over his hips and pushing it down, letting it slowly come away until it was only held up by Steve's hold on it, low on his ass.

They moved together, Danny stumbling backwards until his legs hit the arm of the couch. Before he could fall onto it, Steve held the towel away from them with one hand and made a show of dropping it. "Much better," he smiled before pushing Danny over onto the soft cushions and following him, prowling up his body. 

Danny arched up against him as Steve mouthed over a stubbled jawline until open mouths found each other and Danny could taste the drink and discovered it wasn't so bad, but his mind was on the sloppy, dirty and somewhat disgusting kisses they were sharing, already breathing harshly against each other.

Two of Steve's fingers came up and dipped between their lips and into Danny's mouth and he turned to suck on them. 

"I want that mouth around my cock again, Danny." Steve shifted to the side, wedging himself between the back of the couch and Danny and grabbed hold of his head, pushing it down, knowing that if Danny didn't want it, he could put a stop to it. But Danny did want it, he was liking Steve's controlling side far more than he should and was content to let him stay in charge. 

He slinked down Steve's body and peeled back Steve's shorts, the elastic giving way easily as he slipped them down far enough to release Steve's dick and he let the hands in his hair guide him down, opening his mouth wide and letting Steve push up into him, fucking his mouth. Danny's hands tightened on Steve's hips as he thrust in further than expected and he barely stopped himself gagging with a choked sound.

"Sorry, baby, sorry, it feels so good," Steve moaned from above him. In response, Danny lifted a hand and loosened Steve's hold on him, getting him to relax and then that hand moved to the base of Steve's cock as a barrier and his hold tightened as he sucked hard, tongue laving, and hand twisting, jerking Steve off into the heat of his mouth. He kept sucking, even as he felt Steve stiffen, even as he felt Steve's release inside his mouth, swallowing some, before Steve pulled him off and up his body.

Danny took hold of himself, but Steve's fingers were there, getting in the way, stopping him. "Ah!" he scolded. "My time to play. I'll touch you and you'll come because of me."

Steve voice was seductive but hard and bore the mark of a man used to ordering people around. A shiver went through Danny's body as he whimpered in response, feeling pent up and strung like a too tight bow. 

Steve's hand on him was gentle, light, even as it moved, it was a caress and nowhere near the friction he needed. Danny tried to thrust into him, but the hand stilled before slowly beginning again. Then he tried to cover Steve's hand with his own but it was pushed away again. 

Danny buried his head in Steve's neck. "Please…"

"What do you need, baby?" the soft voice sounded in his ear.

"I need to come."

"What do you need?" Steve shushed Danny as he all but sobbed against him, waiting on a response. Steve was fishing for Danny to say something, the right something but he didn't know what it was.

"I need… I need the friction, I need your hand, please, Steve…"

"You need my hand? Is that all?" Steve's hand stopped moving entirely and just held onto his dick, but the hold was loose, even as he allowed Danny to thrust into it, and it wasn't what he needed. 

"No, Steve, please… I need more. I need you, please… I need you so much." Danny felt the hitch in Steve's breath, the satisfaction at his answer and he knew in that moment what Steve wanted, what he'd always wanted - Danny to need him, to want him, to depend on him, to give himself to Steve. 

It was fucked up on so many levels but Danny didn't care because his dick took notice. It was hot, it was pleasure, and Steve gave him everything he needed, forcing a cry of his name from Danny's lips as he came against him, cum splashing between them.

Danny clamped onto Steve, eyes squeezed shut and arms solid around his back. He felt Steve's hands on him, fingers combing through his hair, the squeeze on his shoulders.

"It's okay, I got you." Steve said softly. "I got you."

*

It still wasn't awkward, though maybe it should have been. Lying on the couch after revealing more about themselves, what they wanted, what they were willing to do, it should have felt weird, but it didn't. 

After taking some time to wind down, they cleaned up with soft touches and a desire to still be close to one another, safe in that bubble Steve created for them where Danny didn't have to worry about how things were going. 

Once they were dressed, Danny phoned home and arranged to go over and spend time with Grace that afternoon, desperate to know that she was okay after a day without him. Of course, he knew she would be. In many ways it was no different than when he worked late, or when she stayed with other relatives or at a friend's house but at the same time, everything had changed. Everything was different because this was going to become normal for her and he hated that, but resignation to that happening was setting in and all he wanted now was to make it as easy on her as possible. 

Steve drove them into Jersey, since Danny had left his car there on Friday night, letting Steve drive as it hadn't been a good idea for Danny to be behind the wheel of a car when he, too, was upset.

They pulled up outside the house to find Grace sitting on the step waiting for him. Her face lit up when she saw Danny get out of the car and she bounded down, running into his arms to be picked up with a cry of 'Daddy!'

After hugs, she was put down and looked apprehensively into the car where Steve hadn't dared to get out. 

"Danno," she tugged on his arm and pointed, a silent question, asking who was with her father.

Danny gestured for Steve to get out. "This is Steve," Danny bent down to Grace's level, speaking closer to her ear. "He's a friend of mine that I've been staying with while I get sorted out."

"Is it nice there?" She asked.

"It is, it's very nice and Steve is being really good about me being there but it's in Manhattan and that's too far away from you, so he's helping me look for something nearby."

Grace watched as Steve came around the car and sunk to her level. "Hi, Gracie. Your daddy talks about you all the time. I was beginning to think he'd made you up, you sounded so perfect."

She smiled at him then up at Danny, her hand in her father's waving about happily. He was pleased. Meeting Steve was going to be important, even if she didn't really know that, and the fact that she was relaxing around him was a help. 

"Are you a policeman like Danno?" She asked him.

"No, I'm not. I used to be in the Navy and I did some things that are like what your dad does, only I did them in other countries. But now I'm home and I work for my father." He squinted up in the sun towards Danny. "Who's Danno?"

"That's private," he replied.

"It's my nickname for Daddy. I was only little when I said it first," Grace said at almost the same time. 

"Maybe not so private," Danny rolled his eyes. 

"I like it. It suits you." Steve nodded. 

"Are you the famous man that mom was talking about?" Grace looked at Steve again, and not knowing how to answer, Steve looked at Danny for help. 

Danny led Grace to the step and sat down with her. 

"What was mom saying, sweetheart?"

"I don't know. I heard you knew someone famous and people were finding out. She wasn't talking to me; she was on the phone to someone. She called him 'Stan'. I don't know him. I just heard stuff," she shrugged.

"Well, okay," Danny thought about how to say this. He could tell her off for eavesdropping, but what kid doesn't know what's going on in their own house? It just happens. "Steve's dad owns a lot of hotels all across the country and they have a lot of money. Steve's whole family is well-known for lots of different things but they're not movie stars or singers or anything like that."

She seemed to understand and looked back to Steve. "So do you know anyone else famous?"

"Yeah, I do," Steve said coming closer to them. "But my sister knows more of them than me. Working for the Navy meant I couldn't hang out and have fun like she did."

"But you're back now, so you can have fun with Danno, right? Everyone needs to have fun sometimes, even grownups."

Steve ruffled Grace's hair. It was cute how concerned she seemed to be about him as well. "Yeah, kiddo. Danno and I have lots of fun. In fact, we have the best fun together. I've never had as good a friend as him before."

"Please don't call me that," Danny asked, quietly ignoring everything else Steve had said, reading into it or not, and focused on the one thing he could. 

"What, Danno? But I like it. You don't mind if I use it too, do you, Gracie?"

She shook her head and Steve made a 'see!' gesture at her. "You're no help," he mock glared at his daughter and she giggled in response. "Okay, Steve do you mind keeping an eye on Grace for a few minutes while I go talk to her mom? Try not to plot my demise while I'm away."

"No promises," Steve said, winking at Grace and getting another giggle from her in response. Danny stood and let Steve take his seat by her and moved to the door. 

He gave a cursory knock as he entered and called out for Rachel, finding her in the kitchen. 

He leaned in the doorway. "I thought I'd take Grace out for a bit, you don't mind, right?"

"No, of course not. You brought Steve, I see." She motioned towards the window with her head. She must have been watching, at least part of the time to know he was there. 

"Yeah, uh… it was probably going to happen eventually. I am staying with him after all."

"I know that." She sighed and stood from where she was looking at her laptop and came around the table. "Is it getting serious? Already?"

"I don't know," he evaded. "What about you and Stan? I know you're still in touch with him. You really like him?"

"Yeah, I do. He's got meetings in New York next week, he thinks he can make the trip longer and stay for a while."

"That's," Danny tramped down on his thoughts, and his wayward tongue. "That's nice." He put his hands in his pockets. 

"Oh, please, Danny, don't start getting angry about this. You're moving on, why can't I?"

"I know, Rach, and I'm trying. I really am. I know how much of a double standard it is, but we've been married for a long time. No matter what I feel for Steve, you and I have been together for over ten years. We have a daughter. That all counts for something and it's difficult to see you with someone else."

"Well, at least you can acknowledge that," she said, in that prim way she had about her sometimes where you could tell she was being sarcastic underneath it. "But spare a thought for things from my point of view for a moment. Seeing you splashed across supermarket magazines and having my friends send me links to videos on TMZ or that Perez website of all places."

"It's not my fault that he comes from a family like that," Danny waved his arms around. 

"No, it's not, but you should know better than some of the things I'm seeing. And I don't want to see them, Danny, I don't. It's just as hard for me to see you with someone else right now but I have to watch because I can't be the only person not to. People talk, Danny. People around here are catching on and if they're going to give me funny looks, I need to know why."

"It won't last, it's just fodder for the gossips until something better comes along and they forget about us. And it's not that bad, Rachel, and I won't allow anything to affect Gracie, you have my word."

"Not that bad?" She asked, incredulous. "Have you seen it? Wait, why am I asking that, you were there!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Last night? Does it ring a bell or had you been drinking too much to remember?" She stormed around the table again and after typing a few keys, flipped her laptop to him. "Stan sent me this earlier."

Danny came closer and hunched over the table and watched, mouth falling open as he saw the raw footage from late the night before as they'd left the event. Oh God, the guy with the video camera. He watched himself being pulled in by Steve for what was, detachedly speaking, a very hot kiss. You could see Steve saying something to him but thankfully the sound wasn't picked up but they were clearly in a world of their own until something broke in and, oh my, the camera caught Steve pushing Danny into the car and mounting him. It was incredibly clear, and it made it look like they were about to have sex in the back of the limo. 

"Oh my God," Danny stood straight again, eyes wide, wringing his hands together. "We didn't, I mean-"

"I don't care, Danny! You could have been naked two seconds after that door closed, I don't want to know. I'm just… you've made our divorce public knowledge in a way neither of us could have expected. We're not used to this, not like Steve. I don't know what to do, or how to handle it. Stan wants to help but he's in Vegas still…"

Danny moved in and hugged her, even though she resisted at first. "I'm sorry. I truly am, okay? I'll be more careful. They won't see stuff like that again."

"Thank you," she said. 

"Look," he began, letting her go. "Part of this whole mess was because no one knew who I was. It was the whole 'mystery man' thing. They know my name now, that I'm here and I'm a cop. Maybe if I just give them some more maybe they'll stop thinking it's 'news'. I could tell them some of the boring stuff."

"Boring stuff?" Rachel laughed in spite of herself. "The fact that you know too much about roller derby for a man in your position, or that you hate the beach?" 

Danny thought about it. "I dunno, those are actually pretty interesting."

"Oh, you mean the fact that you enjoy beer, because that's so rare in a man."

"Something like that." he smiled. "Look, I'm going to head out, we'll only be a few hours. I just want some quality Gracie time."

She let him go; only asking that he not fill their daughter up with sugar and that was when he decided ice cream was in order. 

They went to the mall, all three of them. Grace was able to get to know Steve a bit more, and she rode the carousel she always insisted on spending her pocket money on and then they went for ice cream and all three of them shared one of the place's special loaded waffle basket concoctions that no one could ever finish. 

Grace swung happily between them as they made their way back to the car, a hand holding securely to each of them and acting like she'd known her new 'Uncle' Steve forever. He loved how innocently trusting she was, that she could tell on instinct that Steve was a good man and before they left, she kissed his cheek and thanked him for taking care of Danno since he wasn't at home anymore. 

Danny made his way to his own car and told Steve to follow him somewhere else, not telling him where. 

Almost half an hour later, he arrived outside his parents' house and waited for Steve to pull in behind before getting out. Steve seemed to know where they were as he approached cautiously to where Danny was leaning on his car. 

"I just met Grace, isn't that enough for one day?"

"What do you mean?" Danny asked, innocently. 

"This is your parents' place, right? And they don't like me."

"That's only because they don't know you and you came into my life at a difficult time." Danny waved him off, hoping he was correct about that, himself. "You charmed me and that, my friend, was more difficult that you may have realized."

"It was?" Steve grinned as he leaned beside Danny and crossed his arms. "And here I thought you were easy."

"Uh-huh, keep that up and you'll find out how easily my fist finds your face."

"Oooh," Steve voiced, mock scared, then changed the mood. "So why are we here?"

"I need to do some damage control." At Steve's confused look, Danny continued. "Rachel showed me the latest stuff doing the rounds online from you manhandling me last night. If my mom has seen it, I need to do some explaining."

"Wait, so you brought _**me**_? She's going to accuse me of molesting you!"

"No, she-" Danny stopped as a door slammed open ahead of them and there was his mother, standing in the doorway, arms crossed and fuming. "Okay, that might happen, just-"

"Daniel Williams, so help me God-"

"Ma! Ma, it's not what it looked like, okay?" He rushed up to the door and motioned for Steve to come along with a warning glare. "And I can't believe I'm discussing this kind of thing with you, you're my mother!"

"Not what it looked like? It's a video, Danny. Photos can be taken out of context, but not a whole video."

"I know, Ma. But we were drunk, there had been stuff earlier on with punches and new cars, that's another story, but, really, it was just a couple of minutes, caught on film and we didn't do anything." He came to a stop in front of her as she blocked the door. 

Steve came up a few steps later and hovered behind Danny, guiltily. She turned her attention to him. "Here he is then. The man molesting my son."

"I did tell you-" Steve said over his shoulder. 

"I know," Danny replied, aggravated. "Ma, he's not molesting me. I'm a grown man, I can make my own decisions."

"Stupid ones." She shot back.

"Sometimes, yeah, okay? But I've just separated from my wife, I have to get used to not seeing my daughter as much as I want, and now I've got this idiot attached to my hip and paparazzi not far behind. It's a lot to take in, I'm allowed to slip up sometimes," he pleaded and she softened. 

"Get inside," she said, "before the neighbors get nosy." She let Danny in then blocked Steve again and looked down her nose at him, appraisingly. "Just so you know, hot shot. I'm not impressed by you. Not by the money and the grand hotels and the private planes."

"I don't have a private plane. That's my dad's," Steve interrupted before realizing that was maybe the wrong thing to do.

"Ma, don't lie to the man," a new voice came from the stairs as Matt walked down, half paying attention to his phone. "You've been reading about his family for years, you're hooked on that stuff."

"I read those magazines so that I can be well-informed while being unimpressed," she told Matt and he shrunk back. She turned back to Steve. "None of that matters in this house."

"I understand, Mrs. Williams. Please believe me, I'm here for Danny. I just want to help."

She sniffed. "You live in Las Vegas."

"I do, but I'm here now."

"Until you go home and leave him to deal with whatever crap you leave behind?"

"No. I won't do that. I'm not leaving him," he said, adamantly, looking down at her and not breaking the eye contact. Danny watched his mother back down, impressed by Steve in spite of herself. It must run in the family. 

"That remains to be seen," she moved aside, letting him in and he went straight to Danny, taking his hand, needing his support in a house that was wary of him and his intentions. "Are you staying for dinner?" 

"I don't know," Danny began.

"Your father's working late. Matt is going back to his own home, which he does insist he has even if he spends too much of his time here, so it's just me."

"Well, now that Steve's here it seems rude to go out." Matty put in. 

" _Matt is going back to his own home_ ," his mother repeated sternly, sending her youngest son a glare and he backed down, arms up. 

"Okay, fine. Good to meet you, Steve. You ever want to talk about investing some of that money, let me know, it's what I do," he shook Steve's hand. "And please don't have sex with my brother on camera. I don't want to see him naked. It's bad enough in the baby photos, ow!" Danny whacked his brother upside the head.

"Out!" he ordered, pointing away.

"Fine! Fine, I'm going, sheesh."

The door closed behind Matt and the three moved into the kitchen and sat at the table, Steve still holding onto Danny's hand where it lay on the counter top. 

"So how's your father?" His mother started politely. 

"Good, he's good. Stronger every day. He hates being stuck in bed," Steve answered.

"Good. That's good." It was awkward, all of them could feel that, but she soldiered on, even though Danny wished she wouldn't. "So you stay in New York when here? And Danny is there with you right now? You know, sweetheart, you could have come to us, you're old room is right upstairs, it wouldn't be a bother."

"It's okay, Ma. I'm just with him for a few days until I get something else sorted."

"I'm taking care of everything," Steve said, confidently. "I'll have him set up somewhere nice nearby soon enough. Grace is excited to get a new home, she wants dolphin wallpaper."

"Wait, I'm missing something here," his mother said. "You're sorting out Danny's living arrangements?"

"He insisted," Danny answered. 

"It's stressful," Steve pointed out. "And you don't need the added stress. You go back to work tomorrow and considering everything with Rachel…"

"Look, Ma, I'm fine, okay? You don't need to worry about me," Danny said at the look on his mother's face. "Steve's actually been very good about everything, and he's trying. He's not the guy you've read about."

"Not anymore," Steve put in. 

"You think you can change, just like that?" his mom asked. She knew more about the McGarrett family and their antics than Danny did, and Danny was aware of some of the colorful things Steve had done after getting out of the Navy. Lord only knew what his mother had read, and what of it was true. 

"I think Danny brings out the best in me, Mrs Williams," Steve said, squeezing his hand and giving him a loving look. "The me I prefer to be."

"Call me Clara," she replied with a hint of softening smile on her face. 

And Danny couldn't help but wonder how much of what Steve purportedly got up to after leaving the Navy had been in reaction to what he'd seen and done. He knew a lot of it was classified and that could only mean dangerous and deadly. Maybe latching onto Danny was also a part of that, the fact that he'd chosen Danny and then gone all out. Steve was clearly used to working in tight-knit groups, men and women who, quite literally, fought and died for each other and no doubt Steve must have lost people. It happens in war. Who Steve lost, Danny didn't know, but maybe he was unraveling some of the mystery in his eyes, and whatever Steve felt he had found in Danny, it was more precious than Danny had appreciated before. 

Despite the fact that his mom was there, he leaned in and placed a soft, quick kiss on Steve's lips. He felt Steve's hand loosen in his own and tension ease from his body.

"You couldn't have done _**that**_ in front of the cameras rather than humping in the back of a limo?" His mom spoiled the mood. 

Danny grimaced. "Ma!"


	8. Chapter 8

Dinner had gone well. Not brilliant, not bad, but it was good enough and his mother hadn't killed Steve so that was a plus. They got back to Steve's apartment block in their separate cars and Danny pulled up beside Steve to find the other man standing waiting for him as he parked.

They settled on the couch and watched a movie together that was mindlessly violent and easy to follow and didn't remind Danny about the fact that Grace was miles away being tucked into bed without him there.

Steve had suggested earlier on that maybe as things got settled into a routine, Grace would call Danny at night to talk with him and it was a good idea, one Danny wanted to make happen. But right now, things were still up in the air and he was hanging onto his sanity by hanging onto Steve.

Danny yawned. Going back to work the next day meant he had to make an early start. He needed to check in with his doctor before starting to finalize his clearance for active duty. They'd really been overly cautious about it - he felt he could have been back at work for at least the last two weeks - but the department had a case not that long ago where a guy went back early then had a breakdown during a raid and now, they played it very carefully while Danny got bored and frustrated.

He decided to go to bed with a pat to Steve's knee as he passed, and began stripping off his clothes on the way into the bedroom, dumping his shirt in the laundry basket inside the large closet and continuing until he was down to just his underwear. He climbed into the bed and set the alarm on his phone for the morning before getting comfortable.

Then he felt weird.

It was the first time he had felt like this being here, and somehow, being alone in Steve's bed was what set it off. Huh. In another man's bed… alone. He hadn't really thought about it for the last few days, but it was weird not feeling Rachel beside him. He rolled onto his side, faced the wall and punched the pillow to fluff it up and tried to settle, ignoring his brain. He could hear Steve moving about and was aware of him coming into the room and doing things but he kept his eyes closed and ignored it all.

Eventually the covers were peeled back, letting in some cooler air and Danny felt himself relax as Steve's weight came closer.

A hand crossed his hip. "Huh, why are you wearing these?" Steve asked, pinching at the material.

Danny shrugged. "I'm used to sleeping in something."

The hand pushed them down, peeling them off, Steve's whole body disappearing under the covers as he reached low to get the offending garment off Danny's feet.

"What are you doing?" Danny asked as Steve popped back up again.

"They were in the way," he held them up then threw them to the bottom of the bed. "I prefer having you naked when we're in bed."

Fingers massaged into Danny's now naked ass. "You have a thing for my ass, don't you."

Steve nodded into Danny's shoulder as he pushed his groin closer and nestled his half-hard dick against Danny's ass cheeks. "I do, I really do. It's the best ass. I keep staring at it when you walk in front of me. I just want to live in it."

Danny laughed. "Yeah, that's hot."

"I mean it," Steve continued. "If I could stay hard and inside you all the time, I would." He accented his words by thrusting into Danny again, his dick rubbing against his hole that was still sensitive from all the sex they'd been having. "It always feels so good. God, I have to fuck you." In an instant, Steve's easier, slower mood turned to something more frantic and he moved Danny onto his stomach and crawled over him to get to the bedside drawer and pull out the lube.

Drizzling it over his fingers, his hand trailed down Danny's spine and without looking, he found where he was going under the covers and pushed the first finger inside, insistent. Danny tensed at the feel, sucking in a breath.

Steve pressed his head to Danny's. "I know, baby. I know you're a little sore but it'll be good, it'll be so good."

"It's okay," Danny answered, wanting to feel everything.

As he was loosened up, Steve distracted him with murmured endearments and touched him all over soothingly, until he was ready.

"Up, babe, come on," Steve helped Danny onto his hands and knees, which to Danny meant that Steve needed something hard and fast. He could feel the thrum in Steve's body around and over him and he thought he was ready for Steve to push in, but he hadn't been. Not enough.

He cried out as Steve entered him, feeling the burn, the stretch, clamping down over him automatically, and Steve stopped abruptly, concerned. "Danny?"

"Just a second," Danny breathed, arms moving to clutch onto the headboard and bringing his head against it. "Okay, move," he nodded, and Steve pushed further in, slower this time, holding himself back until he was deep inside.

He rubbed over Danny's back. "Harder, yeah? I need to move, Danny."

"Go for it," Danny responded and it was enough to spur Steve on and with a growl he pulled out and shoved back in with everything he had, Danny's knuckles banging against the wall behind the headboard with the force, and then again, and again as Steve took him hard.

Steve's hands held onto his hips, gripping the flesh as he pounded into Danny with grunts and growls. One of Danny's hands left his braced position to touch himself, which threw everything off as he fell more against the headboard and then Steve pulled the hand up and away from himself and back onto the wall.

"I'll touch you, Danny. I'll be the one to get you off," Steve took hold of him and jerked him fast, giving him no time to enjoy the build up because with a thrust that hit against his prostate just right and a flick of Steve's wrist, he was coming, clenching around Steve's cock, spurring him on until, a few moments later, Steve's cock emptied into Danny and collapsed over his back.

In a tangle with the sheets, and Danny's face smushed into the pillow, Steve canted his hips and pushed again into him. Danny yelped at the movement, sensitive to the touch; his ass hot and sore from Steve's determination.

Steve paused for a moment, letting Danny adjust as he pulled out, then he extracted himself from the sheets and padded into the bathroom, coming out with a cool cloth and a bottle. He crawled back in with Danny and wiped him down, moving him into positions to make it easier and applied whatever lotion it was he had.

"I know I want you to feel it, and I know you want to as well, but if you go to work hobbling, that might paint too obvious a picture," Steve explained. He put everything aside on the bedside table and shifted in closer, making sure they were out of the wet spot from Danny's cum and the mess of lube that had invaded the sheets.

Danny stayed on his stomach, stretching out and Steve lay by his side, head by Danny's shoulder and a hand possessively on his ass, fingers still softly massaging into him, nails occasionally biting against the flesh.

*

When the alarm woke him, Danny was too far away to just reach out to it. He had to slither over the mattress until he could find it with tired eyes and lament the one good thing about not working: sleeping in. He pushed himself to sit up and turned his head to find Steve awake and looking far too alert, stretching himself out, drawing Danny's eyes to his chest.

"Morning, babe," was all he could get out of a fuzzy mouth as he grumbled, throwing the covers back and heading to the bathroom. When he came out, it was to the sweet smell of coffee coming from the kitchen, which spurred him on to finish dressing.

He rushed out and grabbed the cup waiting for him like he'd been lost in the desert without water for days. Steve chuckled at the sight. "Really not a morning person, huh?"

"Mornings are fine, I just prefer to sleep through them," he answered, tasting the sweet, sweet nectar. He finally looked up at Steve who was frowning at him. "What?"

"You wear a tie to work?"

He ran his fingers over the soft material. "A lot of men do. It's the mark of a professional, and that's how I like to look."

"They're a hazard. Hasn't a criminal ever tried to choke you with it?"

Danny shook his head. "I never let them get that close, babe. Besides, a collar and tie hides everything you've done to me."

Steve gave Danny the most smug look he'd ever seen. "There is that." He reached a hand out, a finger dipping below the collar to try and see, but Danny batted it away.

"I need to go, or I'll be late. I'm sure you have work to do as well. Call Chin; see how much money you made over the weekend from all the poor saps feeding quarters into slot machines. I'll call you later." He put down his empty cup, reached out to cup Steve's neck and planted a quick kiss on his lips, before grabbing his keys and leaving.

*

He'd picked up the forms he needed before heading into the precinct. His psych eval and physical had all passed and now he just needed to hand stuff over to HR and he was good to go. He arrived a little after 10a.m., cursing both the fact that he'd traveled in from Manhattan in his car at stupid o'clock and that he'd had to stop off for things first and get them where they needed to go. But he'd been able to call Grace and wish her a good morning and make sure she had everything for school, and now he was actually back where he belonged.

"Danny!" came the call from by his desk when he finally got in. His partner, Owen Taylor, was standing with a little cupcake for him, badly scrawled 'welcome back' written with frosting on it.

"Aw, that's sweet. Did Marty make it?" Marty was Owen's three year old son.

Owen looked at him sadly after they hugged hello. "I made it."

"Well, it's lovely, thank you. Tell me you didn't get in trouble while I was away."

"He didn't get in trouble, we had his back," Amy Tilwell said from nearby. He always had a soft spot for her. She took after her older sister and it had taken Danny some time to be able to not see Grace in her, the death of his old partner haunting them both even after the years had passed. But he had helped Amy as much as he could, treating her like his own little sister, which had included late night sessions studying for the Detective's exams. Amy and her partner, Ritchie Abbot, had been holding down the fort while Danny was out of commission. He knew they'd taken on two of his and Owen's cases and had done a good job. Amy had called a few times to update him until they were solved.

"Speaking of trouble," Owen started, giving Amy a look, pleading for her to continue the line of thought since Danny wouldn't hit someone who was dear to him, and a girl.

She rolled her eyes. "What Owen is hinting at is: what the hell, Danny? Steve McGarrett?!"

"You know about that, huh?" Danny asked, rubbing the back of his neck as he sat down. "The bull-pen always was a warren for gossip, I'm not surprised people found out."

Amy pulled her seat up. "Plenty of people read, Danny. Is he as hot as the pictures?"

"Amy!" Ritchie warned. She was the sensible one of the two and more likely to be patient and take her time getting the information she wanted, rather than blurting something out.

"It's a legitimate question," Amy retaliated, shooting a glare at her partner before turning back to Danny and Owen. "I know things with Rachel were rough but you hooked up with a McGarrett in Vegas? Is he on your list or something?"

"List?" Owen asked.

"You know, the five famous people you're allowed to sleep with if the opportunity arises," Amy explained for him and Owen sunk into his seat at his own desk.

"That's a real thing?"

Danny glared at his partner. "It's a real thing, but not one I have with Rachel. We're getting divorced." He played with a pen on his desk. "She's also, you know, moving on."

"How's Grace?" Ritchie put in.

"She's okay. She's a tough kid. It's me that misses her more than anything else."

"Okay, Danny, trust you to go all drama queen on us. Let me get this straight, bearing in mind it's only been about two weeks since I last saw you," Amy lifted a hand up to tick off the things going on in Danny's life. "You went to Vegas with Rachel, you met Steve McHottie, you hooked up with him, you're getting a divorce from Rachel, you continue to hook up with McHottie at swanky parties, and somewhere in there Rachel also slept with someone else?"

"You're missing out the bits you don't know, like the fact I'm currently living with McHo- Steve and he umm…" Danny waved a hand. "No, it's too complicated, I'm not going into things."

"You're living with him?" Owen exclaimed. "See, this must be a perk of being with a guy, I mean, we just get shit done. Meet, have sex, move in, done."

Amy picked up a pen from Danny's desk and threw it at Owen. "That's a load of sexist bullshit and you know it."

"Guys, Captain," Ritchie said with a point, cutting off any arguments as they saw the Captain stalking around the place.

Amy grimaced. "He's been in a foul mood since he got in, slamming the phone on his desk a few times. No idea what's going on, but he's not a happy bunny."

"Joy," Danny sighed.

"WILLIAMS! My office. Now!" The Captain bellowed and suddenly the four of them were the center of attention. Danny tried not to look around, but he couldn't help it, self-conscious and aware of the eyes on him and all of them with knowing looks. He did his best to stop the blush creeping onto his cheeks and headed into the Captain's office which felt like a sanctuary, even if he was about to get some kind of reaming.

"Everything okay, sir?"

"No, it's not," he sat down behind the desk, gesturing for Danny to do the same. His eyes softened a little as he glanced out the window to everyone. "It's good to have you back, Danny, you're a hell of a detective, but I gotta say, whatever is going down in your personal life right now had better not get in the way of your work."

"It won't, sir."

"Here's the thing. I've been getting calls from different places all morning. People saying they're from news networks but I've never heard of them. Goddamn internet - makes everyone think they can make a video and call it news."

"I'm sorry," Danny apologized. "My media training didn't exactly cover curious paparazzi. But I'm dealing with it and I honestly don't think it's going to last. They'll get bored, something else will happen."

"In the meantime, my phone is being blocked up with these junk calls when something important could be happening. You see my problem, Danny?"

"I do, sir. I'm sorry. I'll see what I can do."

"I gave a statement to one of them, one I'd actually heard of, E!, I think it was. Told me they'd be using it later today. I figure if they've got something, they'll stop. I hope you understand, Danny. I had to give them something."

"What did they want to know?"

"Everything. But I didn't tell them anything that isn't public record, that is if they bothered to look it up. What you do, your solve rate and how you got hurt which led to putting you on leave. It was in the papers when it happened so you know it was out there. It's just that now it's moved from page 40 of the local rag to the front of _US Weekly_ , all because someone couldn't keep it in their pants."

"That's not exactly how-"

"I don't care, Danny. Get yourself a rich sugar daddy or whatever, it's not my concern. What _**is**_ my concern, is if I put you on a case and you've got cameras following you around. Or you need to go undercover and can't because people recognize you from red carpet interviews."

"That's not going to happen. My relationship won't interfere, sir."

"It better not. Now get your ass back out there and take Taylor with you," he thrust a file into Danny's hand. "Possible suspicious death. M.E. is already out there."

_*_

Danny looked around them as they left the precinct, sunglasses at the ready even if it was a grey day in Newark.

"It's sad to think that a cop, trained in the ability to go undercover, thinks the Clark Kent routine will hide him," Owen smirked.

"Shut it," Danny said, concluding that no one was around who was remotely interested in him. "After what the Captain told me, I just need to know they aren't out here."

"You're getting paranoid in your old age, Danny."

"You would be too in my position."

"Well then, when Halle Berry finally decides I'm the man for her, I'll find out."

The crime scene was a mess, and it definitely was a murder, but life is made much easier when the criminals are dumb and fingerprints left on the body match ones from two old convenience store robberies and they can match the dead person to the robber, plus they had witnesses who had seen them arguing just hours before. Slam dunk cases could be worrisome, as sometimes it just felt too easy, but as Danny, hours later, was cuffing the idiot and reading him his rights, he realized the guy was as dumb as he looked. Hell, he still had the knife in his jacket pocket like some kind of trophy, telling people not to mess with him and using it as proof.

Back at the precinct, he and Owen were finishing up the paperwork when he heard the call of 'Danno!' coming from the entrance and he looked up to see Steve had found him in the crowd of desks and was heading over.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Danny hissed as the other man came up. "Are you trying to bring more attention to me? I've already had to apologize to the Captain for all of this and now you show up and everyone's staring."

"Let them, I'm used to it," Steve waved it off.

"I'm not!" Danny argued back. "Owen, close your mouth. Steve, this is Owen, my partner."

"What's up?" Owen said, trying his best for nonchalance while shaking Steve's hand.

Steve just smiled and nodded and turned back to Danny. He was just glad Amy and Ritchie were out on a case because Amy would be bombarding Steve with questions. "I just wanted to stop by with your car."

"I have my car," Danny said confused.

"Your _**new**_ car," Steve explained. "I've not had it customized yet, but I picked it up from the dealership today and thought you'd like to see it. It's just as pretty as the pictures we bid on."

"You bought Danny a car?" Owen asked, shocked.

"It's nothing, the money went to charity," Steve waved off and sat on the edge of the desk, conspiratorially close to Owen. "I like buying him things. He gets this look on his face at first where he's kinda shy and uncomfortable with it and tells me not to get him anything, but then I wear him down and he thanks me with that gorgeous smile and everything feels great."

Owen looked around Steve at Danny, "It's like he's an overgrown puppy or something, he's so into you. Are there kissy faces involved, do you both spend most of your telephone calls telling the other to hang up?"

"Stop talking now before I castrate you, Taylor." Danny blushed as Owen laughed.

"So what kind of car is it?" Owen finally settled enough to get out.

"Camaro," Steve answered, trying to look at Danny's screen and see what was going on.

"Whoa, hold on, that is one sweet ride, Danny. You better have put out after he bought you that."

Danny flung his hands up in despair. "Why does everything think I'm prostituting myself to him?" He belatedly realized he'd been a bit too loud, and others had heard him, so he continued on, pent up frustration at the world winning out, frustration he didn't fully realize he had until that moment. "Because he's rich I must only be with him for the money? I don't want that or the stupid 15 minutes of fame, okay!? Just leave it be. And can we all just get on with our jobs?" He yelled the last into the bullpen before storming off, not even sure where he was going.

It didn't take long for Steve to catch up to him in the corridor and turn him back. "Hey, what's going on? Your partner was just joking, even I could see that and I don't know the guy."

"I know he was, but it's not the first time I've heard that stuff whispered today and I'm sick of it. If people who know me are saying that, then what must the press think, huh?" Danny angrily bit back.

"The press think a lot of things that aren't true. You just need to forget about them," Steve placated him. "What else is being said?" Concern emanated from Steve.

"I dunno," Danny sighed. "I mean, the people I work closely with, they're fine. A little mocking, but I can deal with that, it's playground humor. But there are still people who talk when they think I can't hear. Or they give me these looks."

"Ignore them."

Danny made a face, one that said he was trying but… "Something's off. I can't put my finger on it. Not yet."

"It's all in your head. You're a cop, look at the evidence. They've seen you with me, and it's not big-headed, I'm just saying: I have money, a lot of it, and enough people know who I am that it draws attention. They're just jealous."

"Yeah, maybe, I don't know. Maybe the Captain's right, balancing this job and this relationship…"

 _"_ What are you saying?" Steve went pale.

Danny looked up at him, feeling guilty for how that came out. "No, no no, Steve, I don't mean- Don't look at me like that. I'm just saying, this thick skin I wear all the time might take a few more knocks, okay? I've got a lot on my plate, is all."

"Well, what did I tell you about that - I'll take care of what I can. Your problems are my problems."

"Yeah, sure," Danny gave him a tight smile in response, still thinking about some of the whispers he'd heard at the crime scene and during today's investigation. He felt quite lucky the case had been simple because as much as he'd ignored the occasional assholes, he was self-aware enough to know that he could be a hot-head and let his emotions get the better of him. If he did this job angry, he'd become a cliche and he didn't want that. He wanted to do the job he signed up for, and make sure the city was safe for his daughter.

"Come on, you're done for the day. Let's go take the Camaro for a spin. I'll even let you drive."

They walked off down the corridor, Steve's hand over Danny's shoulder. "I'm sorry, you'll _**let**_ me drive?"

"It's not going to happen often so enjoy it while you can."

"I thought you bought this thing for me?"

"Doesn't mean you get to drive it," Steve looked at Danny like he'd grown a second head.

"You have severe control issues, my friend. I have the number of a therapist you can call, make an appointment."

*

After a good half hour drive, they pulled back in at the precinct so Danny could grab his old Taurus and head home. Theoretically, he would be starting to use the Camaro for work soon, but going by the way Steve fondled the damn thing it seemed that he wouldn't be driving it as often as he thought.

Steve was leaning on the new car when Danny pulled in. "So I've been thinking," he began as Danny slammed his door shut.

"That's not good."

"Not so fast," Steve said, waiting for Danny to come closer then pulling him in. "I'm thinking we need some sort of celebration."

"Celebration?"

Steve ducked his head closer to Danny's. "A little christening?" His tongue darted out to touch against Danny's mouth, waiting for Danny to open up and let him in.

"Except no," Danny was able to say when they parted to breathe. "I am not having sex in the car. Especially not in a parking garage with CCTV."

Steve looked mock offended. "Are you saying you don't want to make a sex tape with me?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm saying," Danny smiled as Steve missed the point and lightened the mood.

"That's a shame. It was going to be very artistic. I was going to use night vision and everything."

"Crazy SEAL," Danny scowled as they kissed again and Danny's back slammed into the Taurus as Steve towered over him, intent on pulling back his shirt collar with his teeth.

Danny batted Steve's arm to get his attention. "Hey, hey come on, not here, what did we just say. I'm not letting you maul me under the CCTV and I'm hungry, you need to feed me."

*

They finished dinner and collapsed onto the couch, stomachs too full to contemplate moving for a while.

With the TV on in the background, Steve turned to Danny. "So we found a nice place today. Only thing is, I know what I said about getting a house but we can't find anything close enough that's any good."

"Who is this 'we' you're talking about? I haven't been involved in any of this which, frankly, we should be talking about since you expect me to live wherever you pick."

"We're talking about it now," Steve argued. "Anyway, _**Kono and I**_ , were looking around the real estate websites and found a really nice apartment about 3 blocks from your old place."

"I'll be honest, I'm not picky. I just want to be able to see Grace."

"I know, which is why we pretty much made the decision without you. There's only one catch - the place is unfurnished. I took a look around it today, it's pretty nice. Two bedrooms, new kitchen and bathroom. If you give me a few days to get some furniture ordered I figure we can get you moved in by the end of the week."

"Sounds good, babe," Danny patted Steve's thigh and rested his head on his shoulder. Really, any arguments he put up now were token. Somehow, in the short time they'd known each other, he'd already given up on trying to change Steve's mind when he had his heart set on something.

Steve's arm went around Danny, and his head fell on top of the shorter man's. "So Chin said I'm not allowed to move in with you, though."

"Chin said?"

"Well," Steve's hand went out and took Danny's from where it was resting on his leg and turned it over so he could trace patterns on the inside of his wrist. "He's right. I have a set up here so that I can still work and there's not much room at the new place since we need a bedroom for Grace. And, apparently, if word gets out that I'm living with you in Jersey then we run the risk of photographers again and… well… we need to keep Grace out of it as much as possible."

"I knew Chin was the smart one on your team," Danny smiled. He felt sad that Chin was right, but he was thankful to the man for thinking of very valid points, and for keeping Grace's safety and happiness as paramount.

"It's not a big deal. Just means more driving for us, depending on who stays where on different nights."

"I'm sure you've got it all figured out, now shut up and watch Iron-Man kick this guy's ass."


	9. Chapter 9

_Steve McGarrett, the man who just a few months ago was quoted as saying he didn't want a relationship because he was 'too busy having fun', has a new love interest that has sparked curiosity across the nation. Tonight, we delve deeper, finding out just what kind of a man can keep Steve's attention and whether America's most eligible bachelor is finally off the market._

_His name is Daniel Williams, he's not a movie star, he's not in a band and he doesn't come from another wealthy family. He's a Police Detective from Newark, New Jersey. So how does a city cop meet one of Las Vegas' hotel tycoons?_

_The answer is simply: on vacation._

_E! spoke with colleagues of Danny's, who tell us he has been recovering from an injury sustained on duty that put him on medical leave for three months. Before going back to work, he and his wife - that's right, Detective Williams is married - went on vacation to Sin City and met McGarrett at The Pearl Resort that he owns and lives in. According to the waiter who first leaked the story last week, the two men were inseparable, looking very much the loving couple right from the beginning. Photos from that evening paint a similar picture, with McGarrett being overly protective, in a way we've never seen before._

_So what happened next? Whether this was supposed to be just one of those things that happens in Vegas or not, Williams returned to his New Jersey home, only to be followed the next day by McGarrett who refused to answer questions, except to tell a_ TMZ _reporter that Danny was the man for him._

_The whirlwind romance then heated up on Saturday night at the New York charity gala event for the Navy Benevolent Fund, where both men were seen a little worse for wear, but still looking like they only had eyes for each other, even going so far as a public fumble in the back of McGarrett's limo._

_So we ask what is it about Danny Williams that has Steve McGarrett so besotted? Well, according to an exclusive interview we held with his precinct Captain, Danny is 'a dedicated officer with an impressive arrest record. He's the kind of cop you want protecting you, your family, and your city. He does this job to provide for and protect his daughter, and he's good at what he does.'_

_It seems that while our Navy hero was off protecting our way of life in foreign countries, our homegrown hero was right here; protecting the streets, keeping them safe for our children. Perhaps if anyone deserves some happiness, it's these two._

_And we'll have more on our new favorite romance a little later on in the show, but first, which celebrity couple has plans to adopt a new child? And your favorite TV stars bare all in this sexy photo shoot for_ TV Guide magazine _…_

*

Tuesday had started so well. Despite the early morning, Danny had made it into work missing the majority of the traffic, giving him enough time to stop off for coffee on the way, and allowing an extra long phone call with Grace.

He'd walked into the precinct with easy steps, and there had been no reporters outside, so maybe he was in luck - he hadn't actually seen any himself since Saturday night, so maybe they were moving on from him. 

Steve had told him to ignore things, reminded him that he'd been so on edge about the divorce and how it affected Grace, then the media and how _**that**_ affects Grace, that maybe he was a bit too paranoid about there being something else wrong that he couldn't work out. Sleeping on the notion had been good; he felt clear today. Of course, part of that could be down to the pleasant aches that still ran through his body as he'd spent another night being thoroughly fucked through the mattress and when he thought about it, he couldn't hide the smile on his face.

That was until he reached his desk to find a copy of _The Star Ledger_ sitting right in the middle where he couldn't miss it. In big, block lettering read the headline: _Local Hero In The Spotlight_ , and it had his picture underneath and Danny pushed the damn thing away before going anywhere near reading the article. 

Owen wasn't around yet, and he doubted the man would put it there for him, unless he did so in warning to make sure Danny was aware of it. But then, he wouldn't put it in pride of place. He'd bury it and leave a note of where it was.

Which is why Danny slumped his shoulders and let his head fall back, looking to the heavens for support when he heard the boisterous rabble nearby. 

"Hey everyone, it's our famous hero, arrived for another day of vanquishing evil-doers!"

Danny turned to see who it was. "Mapes, always a pleasure."

There was a whoop from another desk and both turned to see what was happening. Mapes chuckled and Danny kept his anger in check.

"Drinks on me tonight, boys." Delano said, brandishing a check he'd pulled out of an envelope. "Well, technically on Williams since without him, we wouldn't have this little extra fund."

'What are you talking about, Frank?" Danny asked through gritted teeth.

Delano came closer and leaned into Danny. "Nothing much, just some of those reporters were willing to pay top dollar for the dish on you and there are those of us who were happy to oblige."

Danny thought back to when that first article had appealed for information. He had a feeling someone would say something. He'd never figured it would be Delano. He shook his head. "You're the one who told them my name." 

"Among other things," Frank waved the check in Danny's face then leant in even closer. "But if you're going to take it for McGarrett in exchange for fancy cars and parties, then maybe a few of us deserve a little something, too."

Danny recognized the sound of his partner coming up behind him, and the hand on his shoulder meant to calm him down "You've had your fun, Frank, leave it out." 

"I'm just saying," Delano said, moving back from them and talking loudly enough for others to hear. "It seems Danny here is the poster boy for Newark PD, like the rest of us just sit around eating donuts all day while you do all the work? What makes you so special, huh?"

"Frank…" Owen warned. Danny had gone silent, seething. There were whispers around them, the air felt oppressive and Danny _**knew**_ he hadn't been as paranoid as Steve thought. He knew something was fishy in the precinct and maybe now it was coming to a boil. Frank Delano and his little merry band of Vice cops had never liked Danny, not since he'd cracked the Salvo case they'd been working on for years. Maybe they couldn't pin the drugs trafficking on him, but Danny had got him for two murders and ever since then, Frank had hated him for making him look bad. Everything that was happening now was like a slap in the face for Frank, and Danny would enjoy it, if the man wasn't bringing in his lemmings to mock Danny.

Delano spun to face some of the others around them. "Maybe Danny should share. Maybe we'd all fuck Steve McGarrett for a couple of grand, he is Navy after all, those sailor boys do like it up the ass. Bet it's over quick, too."

When he turned to face Danny again he was met with a hard fist, connecting with his nose and blood drops landed on the nearest desk and spilled out onto Frank's shirt. The man just laughed as Owen held Danny back before he could do more damage. "Keep your mouth SHUT, Delano!"

"Hit a nerve," Delano sniffed, standing straight again. 

"BREAK IT UP!" Their Captain stormed into the bull-pen, red-faced and furious. "What the hell is going on here? Williams!"

"He hit me," Delano said before Danny could start. "We were just having a conversation and he hit me. Clearly he needs another psych eval."

"I'm fine," Danny growled. 

"He came back too soon, boss," Mapes put in from just behind Delano's shoulder. "It's Simmons all over again. Put him back on leave until he can play well with others."

"My office, Williams."

"But, sir-"

"Go!" The Captain yelled at him and he pushed away from Owen's hold and stormed off. He was afraid something like this would happen. That the stresses in his life would make him the angry cop who lashed out. And yet, he'd only hit Delano for what he'd said about Steve. He'd have done the same if he'd said anything about the other people he loved, just as he knew all those other guys in the squad room would do the same if they were being wound up like that. 

Delano was clever. He'd done it on purpose - taken his opportunity to try and get Danny out of the way again. 

Danny had always had suspicions about the man and some of his 'crew', as they liked to think of themselves. There were four of them, and they were only one part of the whole Vice team, but they had a swagger about them and a patchy record. Sometimes they just couldn't pin anything on the perps, other times it was like the guilty parties just fell into their laps. Danny didn't like it but he'd never had enough to go to IA with and though he'd talked a little about it with Owen, he'd kept everything to himself and watched when he could. 

He waited a few minutes until the Captain returned. "Williams, what the hell?"

"It's not my fault, sir." He wanted to say it was Delano's fault, but he knew to say that, to tell the Captain what had happened, was to revert to feeling like a ten year old sent to the principal's office and his pride wouldn't let him do that. Even if it could help him now.

"I don't care whose fault it is, I don't care if he wound you up, or you wound him up. You struck a fellow officer and he didn't touch you. You know what that looks like? Now? When all eyes are on you?"

Danny slumped. Not to mention _**that**_. Goddamn press, he'd almost forgotten about them in the heat of the moment. And it wasn't like they could keep it under wraps. Everyone saw. And if Frank Delano had already sold him out to the press once, he'd happily do it again and use his face as proof that it happened. Next thing that would happen - the front pages saying Danny's having a breakdown and it blows back on his family, his mom, Grace… He'd fucked up.

"Look, Frank is willing to let it go and keep it quiet from the press," It was like the Captain had read his mind and it gave him hope for a moment until… "but only if I put you back on two weeks medical leave pending another psych eval."

"This is bullshit," Danny moaned. 

"It's not ideal." The Captain agreed. "Frank is being an ass because he can be right now, and now I'm painted into a corner. Two weeks leave, or we all get into shit from the press, and the Mayor and probably the Governor."

"I know, sir. I get it, I do."

"Think of it this way - it's another couple of weeks for you to get your personal life in order. I know you just separated from your wife, which I assume means you moved out. You've got McGarrett to deal with and all this media circus. You've got two weeks to get them off your back, and get back to doing this job properly."

"Yes, sir."

*

Danny stood at his desk and grabbed a few things, glaring over at Delano and Mapes, shooting daggers at them while they smirked in triumph, before he stormed out. 

Owen caught up with him at the doors. "Listen, Danny, don't let it get to you, okay? You need me, I'm right here."

"Thanks, partner," Danny said, giving Owen a pat on the back. 

"Hey, did you see the thing on TV last night about you?"

"What thing?"

"On E! News or whatever it was. They talked with Frank, Danny. He told them all about your last case when you got injured. He's the one that made a big deal of it, talking about how officers get hurt and what we all go through and that everyone hoped you pulled through okay and got back to work soon."

"I don't get it, he hates me," Danny said. 

"Exactly. And now he's gone on national television like he doesn't. 'Cause if you go to anyone and complain, they'll think it's from your end, not his. He's played you, Danny. He's up to something."

"Well, whatever it is, it's going to have to wait two weeks, since I'm not allowed back before then."

"I've got your back, Danny. I'll keep an eye on him. You need me to drive you home, call Steve or something?"

"No, I'm good. I'm angry, but I'm good. I'm just going home."

*

Danny arrived back at the apartment, dropped his keys on the table and went into the kitchen area to grab a drink. Steve appeared out of his office a few moments later, a confused look on his face.

"Did something happen? Why aren't you at work?"

Danny almost didn't know how to say what had gone down, and Steve wouldn't accept 'it's a long story' and let it go. "I'm on leave," he said as he put the water bottle down on the counter, hands braced on either side. 

"You just got off leave," Steve was further confused. 

" May I remind you of a conversation we had last night. Something along the lines of 'it's all in your imagination, Danny, you're just stressed from everything else'. You remember that one?"

"Yeah, I was there."

"Well, turns out it wasn't all in my imagination, and that bad feeling I had was right."

"Did someone say something?" Steve came closer, standing on the other side of the counter, hand reached out like he might take Danny's but waiting, able to tell Danny was on edge but not sure if he needed contact or to be left alone. 

"Someone said something," Danny nodded. "And I punched him in the face."

"What did he say?"

"He badmouthed you."

Steve gave a small smile. "You defended my honor?"

"Something like that," Danny couldn't help but respond lightly to Steve. The man had a knack for calming him down, it was eerie, actually. "Truth be told, I've been itching to smack Delano around for about 3 years. But now I'm on two weeks medical leave. Gotta take another psych test before they'll let me back."

Steve came around the counter and right up to Danny, running a hand over his back. "I'm sorry," he kissed Danny's head. 

"Hey, it's not your fault." Danny sighed. "At least it'll make moving easier. Can get it done myself rather than relying on you all the time. And it means I can pick Grace up from school more often, spend some decent time with her."

"See, there's a bright side," Steve smiled. "Listen, I need to go back to Vegas this weekend. Why don't you come with me? I know you want to be here for Grace but it's only for a day while I sit down properly with my management team and talk about what they'll be handling over the next few months while I'm here."

"Next few months?"

"That's what I told them, but since I honestly have no idea yet on how we're going to handle this situation, I figured I wouldn't throw everything into their laps yet. Plus, I don't want the press finding out too much before we know for sure what's going on."

"Okay, that makes sense. You're going for a day?"

"Flying out Saturday night, meetings on Sunday and taking the red-eye into Monday." Steve hugged into Danny and swayed them. "And since you don't have work on Monday morning… you could spend Saturday afternoon with Grace and then we can head off…?"

"Let me check with Rachel first. I think she's got Stanley coming in this weekend."

"Okay," Steve's phone rang and he dug into his pocket for it without letting Danny get away from him, one hand still clamped on him. "Hey, Chin, what's up?"

Danny couldn't hear what was being said, all he could make out were syllables, tinny and quiet as he drank more from the bottle still in front of him. 

Steve rested his head on Danny's, nosed into his hair and took a deep breath before talking again. "Well, I'll try and fit him in on Saturday night, how much is he spending?" He kissed Danny's temple, loosened his hold slightly and let the hand on his back drift up, the thin material of Danny's shirt providing little barrier between them. "Okay, fine, set something up as VIP in the Fountain Room bar, make sure Lori gets him spending beforehand, oh and make sure anything social you need to set up for me is done for two. Danny is coming with me, so keep the calendar light."

Steve smiled down at Danny, twisted his phone away just far enough that he could still hear Chin while he kissed Danny properly, chaste and quick. 

"Chin says hey."

"Hey Chin," Danny said loudly for Chin to hear him. 

A few more moments passed, Steve nodding and paying attention to the man on the other end of the line. "Okay, see you Saturday." He hung up and went back to kissing Danny, two, three more times. He ran a hand down Danny's arm and grumbled. "I really want to take advantage of this extra time with you right now, but I've got to go get work done. And if you and I start something, I'll never get back to it."

"One of us might as well do something productive," Danny answered. "I'm going to get organized and head to the gym to let off some steam. If you want, we could meet for a late lunch, then I'm going to waste more gas going all the way back to Newark for Grace."

"Sounds like a plan," Steve answered.

*

As frustrating as it was to not be working after only being back for one full day, Danny was enjoying the extra time with Grace since he wasn't living at his home anymore. It also meant he had more time to get other things done, including talking with Rachel about the divorce and starting to organize lawyers. Seeing her also meant talking about Steve and Stan and it seemed that was, strangely, one of the few things they could discuss without arguing. It was a weird turn of events, and no matter how the divorce went, he really hoped they'd come out at the other side of it able to still be friendly. 

They began moving Danny into his new apartment on Thursday. Grace helped after school and began discussing how she'd do up her own room. It excited her more because she got to do it from scratch and pick out everything. It would take time to sort her out, but Danny was determined that she have the first complete room, so over the weekend she was to make her final decisions and Danny would start it on Monday when they got back from Vegas.

On Friday afternoon he met Amy and Ritchie for coffee and everyone did their best to avoid talking about Delano and his cronies and instead focused on other things. It seemed media interest had died down a little. Delano had been true to his word and no one else in the precinct had been stupid enough to talk to the press so no one knew of the incident. The Captain had a cover story lined up if anyone asked; that Danny's injured knee had flared up during his recent arrest and he needed some extra time off.

By the time Saturday rolled around he was actually in a decent mood. He'd spoken with a lawyer that Steve had recommended and they were hopeful that Danny would get joint custody of Grace, considering how well he could provide for her, how close they would be living, and that he had a decent support structure in place should his job play havoc with his visitation times.

And on top of all of that, his relationship with Steve was still going well. They continued to learn more about each other and put up with each others' bad habits and personality quirks thinking them endearing. It was stupid, really, how fast Danny felt himself falling for Steve, but it was difficult not to when the man wormed his way into everything Danny did and somehow managed to improve things.

He took Grace out for the afternoon. They went to the park for a while until the weather threatened, so they relocated to the bowling alley and played a few games before heading to the arcade where Danny introduced his darling daughter to the wonders of Ms. Pac-man. Once he dropped her off and got back to the new apartment, he found Steve in the small parking lot standing outside a chauffeured car.

"You ready to go?"

"Yeah, just need to grab my bags."

"Already did, I put them in the back."

"Let me just check I didn't forget anything and make sure it's all locked."

"I did that too," Steve caught Danny as he moved to walk by and up the steps to his second floor apartment. "I checked everything was off and locked up with my set. You've got your wallet and ID and stuff on you. Let's go."

He shoved Danny towards the car. "Okay, okay, sheesh, you don't need to manhandle me, I got it."

"I like manhandling you," Steve smirked as he followed Danny in.

Danny didn't know what to expect, returning to Vegas. He was actually nervous, not sure how people would react to him. He took Steve's hand as the car pulled out. "You've not done anything crazy, right? No plans beyond schmoozing your whales and meetings with your team?"

"Sure," Steve nodded. And Danny wasn't convinced by the innocent look he tried to convey.


	10. Chapter 10

They made it to The Pearl with enough time to get up to the penthouse and freshen up before Steve was due to meet some people on the floor. Coming back here had been a reminder of what Steve really was. Looking up at the hotel and remembering that Steve owned it - it was flashy and showy and a show of power and wealth that the McGarrett family had and for a moment Danny's stomach fluttered thinking about how they'd met and the way Steve believed he could manipulate Danny.

Yet somehow, in that 24 hour period, with Steve trying too hard to impress Danny, the seduction play had morphed into something with real feeling behind it that had struck both of them out of the blue. Danny had known. Well, not from the start and not fully, but he was smart enough to know that Steve was up to something and he'd worked it out along the way. At first he'd been determined not to give in, and to make Steve work for it, but he had changed just as much as Steve in that regard, the desire to actually forget the game and just have what he wanted, what they wanted. Then came that feeling of not wanting it to end.

On their return, Steve had apparently organized a new wardrobe for Danny. He was shown the closet in the spare room only to find four new suits in there - his measurements from before noted and these made up for him. He chose a charcoal grey one, liking the vest with its gold pocket watch chain, and decided to forego the jacket since it was a warm night and they had no plans to go out of the hotel. 

He waited for Steve out by the door. "Come on, Steven. You've taken long enough to get pretty."

"Just a second," was shouted back and Danny heard the slam of drawers before Steve sauntered back into the room in a brown suit, fitted just right with a light blue shirt that was almost white, open at the neck. "Let's go."

They made it downstairs to find Chin waiting for them at the front desk area and he briefed them both on who they'd be seeing, though it was mainly for Danny's benefit. Chin had made a point of strategically getting a bunch of high rollers into the bar within the next hour to meet with Steve so they could all shake hands and feel like they were getting his personal service.

Danny hung back for the most part, letting Steve do his thing. He was very good at it. With an easy smile and remembered details about their family or work, he was able to make them feel like he cared about them and not just the fact that they were laying out a good million or so dollars between them. There were moments where Steve would put his arm around Danny and pull him into conversations and he could feel Steve's fingers holding onto the waistband at the back of his pants. 

When he felt the hand at his waist hold tighter, he leaned up into Steve. "Do I still need to be here? I'm starving, I haven't eaten since lunch."

Steve moved his head down close to Danny's. "I'll finish up here, why don't you go get us some pizza and I'll meet up with you in just a little bit." The hand moved to squeeze Danny's hips and before he could move away, Steve kissed him with a light peck - the kind that came as second nature and no one around them questioned it or even seemed to bat an eyelid.

Danny gave Steve's shoulder a pat, bid farewell to the man and his wife that they were talking with, and made his way out of the bar. He headed to the pizzeria that he was pretty sure he remembered where it was.

He ordered them a couple of slices each, even getting ham and pineapple on one of Steve's for him and waited while they loaded up a tray. He handed over the money for it and the young guy behind the counter waved him off, confusing him. 

"You don't pay, Mr. Williams," he said. Danny started a little, surprised they knew who he was until he figured all the employees were likely nosey enough about their boss to keep tabs on the gossip.

"That's not necessary, take it," Danny gestured with the folded up bill in his hand only for the guy to move back and refuse again. 

"It's my orders, sir. None of the McGarrett family ever pays and we've all been told that extends to you, so I really can't take it." Danny frowned, not sure who would give 'orders' to an entire hotel of employees to not let Danny pay. He didn't like being treated like he was special. Sure, Steve had taken to giving him things, but for a start, Steve had actually paid for them to begin with and second, it's different when you are the actual owner and not just someone who knows him. 

Instead he put the money in the tip jar and thanked the young man, who smiled warmly at him in response.

As he sat and waited for Steve, he was approached by a woman with tanned skin and long brown hair, holding a coffee cup in her hand. She was stunning, and in any other situation he was sure he'd be tempted to ask her and he just hoped he didn't stammer or say something stupid when he started talking to her. 

She beamed a smile at him and waved her hand a little to get his attention. "You tried to turn down free pizza? Is there something wrong with you?"

He blushed a little. "Free pizza is great; there should be more free pizza in the world. I'm just concerned over the fact that an entire hotel's staff has been told how to act if they see me."

"Well, I don't work for the hotel so I have no idea how to act around you, do you mind if I sit here while I finish my drink? All the other tables are taken."

Danny looked around to find the small space was full for the time of night and, being that his mother raised him right, he gestured for her to sit.

"I assume you're waiting for someone, going by the amount of stuff you have here. I promise I won't stay long. My name's Gabrielle."

"Danny," he answered.

"So you're really not used to people treating you like this?" She asked, eyes wide and curious. 

"Let's just say my life changed rather suddenly and I'm still getting used to it."

"You make it sound like you won the lottery or something."

Danny lifted his eyebrows. "That would be nice, and also a lot less complicated."

"If you feel like venting at a stranger, be my guest. You could think of it as therapy."

"I wouldn't even know where to begin."

"They say the beginning's a great place to start," she smiled as she took a sip and he found himself smiling back at her. If he wasn't with Steve, if he hadn't been in a messy 'thing' with Rachel…

"Gabby, what did I tell you about making appointments?" Steve's voice sounded from behind him as he strode up and bore down on the table, a hand on the back of Danny's chair. He was being pleasant, but Danny could tell that it was coming through gritted teeth. 

"You know each other?" Danny asked.

They both ignored him for a moment and Gabrielle looked innocently up at Steve. "You know that if I did that, the first available slot would be a month from now and by then, the story will have moved on."

"Wouldn't that be a shame. I'm surprised at you though, waltzing in here and harassing my family. I thought you prided yourself on honest journalism."

So she was a reporter, and she'd been trying to get information out of Danny. If Steve hadn't come along when he had, he'd probably have started giving her an interview without even realizing, and she'd have managed to get it from him with a beautiful smile. Damnit. 

"I pride myself on stories that are true. No sensationalism, just the facts, no lies, and I just inject my opinion into my columns. That's why celebrities usually come to me to break stories."

"And what? You're hurt I didn't come to you sooner for some sort of exclusive with Danny?"

"I don't usually go to the story. What can I say? I was intrigued." She gave Danny a look, like she'd maybe been thinking the same kind of thing he had about her at first and now he was uncomfortable.

His head fell back and touched against Steve's hand and then he groaned. "Okay, here's what's going to happen. You're both going to stop glaring at each other. Gabrielle, it was nice to meet you, but you did say you'd move on when my date got here, so we'll see you around. Steve, sit your ass down and eat before it gets cold."

Gabby took a breath and turned to Danny with a brighter face. "It was nice to meet you, Danny. Hopefully we'll see each other again. And thanks for the coffee chat," she lifted her cup in salute then let them be, Steve watching after her to make sure she disappeared entirely from sight.

"What's with the face?" Danny asked as he finally bit into his slice.

"She was flirting with you," Steve accused. 

"So what if she was? People flirt, it's human nature," he shrugged. 

In response, Steve pulled his seat across the ground with a metallic scrape until he was pressed by Danny's side. He reached a hand out to cup Danny's jaw and guide him forward then kissed him hard, tongue probing into his mouth, hand moving to grip behind his neck as it deepened into the type of kiss that would be uncomfortable for people around them to watch in its ferocity and intent.

When they pulled back, Steve looked deeply at Danny, ignoring the other people nearby. "Let them flirt, but only I get to do that."

Danny kept his voice down, but he knew this was in some way an argument. "What did you think I was going to do? Cheat on you with her? I know we've only been together a short time but-"

"No, it's not that," Steve said, cutting him off. "You, I trust. But other people, not so much. They think of me as some kind of serial dater because I'm 'never seen out with the same man twice'. And I know where that came from because it used to be true but not anymore. They all need to know that if they make a move on you, then I'm going to retaliate."

"You make it sound like some kind of strategic op. And she wasn't making a move on me; she was buttering me up for an interview."

"Didn't look like that from where I was standing."

"You saw red and charged, like I'm not allowed to talk to people unless they're on some approved list you have and do not interrupt me and tell me that's a good idea or I will cut off your balls." He watched Steve for a moment, making sure he stayed quiet. "Thank you. And another thing, since when did you tell your staff to treat me like they treat you?"

Steve shrugged and finally began eating. "I didn't. Chin probably has though, not really surprised either. He always was good at reading my mind."

"You don't think it's weird? I mean, you read in magazines all the time about celebrities who get married after a month of dating, but I figured that even if _**you**_ do crazy things like throwing yourself into a relationship, that the people around you might be more circumspect. But now I'm being called 'family' and treated as if I'm like you but I'm not."

"First of all, we can't get married for ages, because we have to wait on your divorce to come through-"

"That's what you take away from what I said?"

"And second," Steve scowled at Danny for trying to interrupt. "My team trusts me with the decisions I make. And enough of them have met you to know I've made the right call. They're smart enough to be able to see what we have."

"And what _**do**_ we have?" Danny asked, with flutters in his stomach. 

Steve didn't answer him, just smiled around a mouthful of pizza and leaned in to smack a cheese-and-tomatoey kiss to his lips.

*

After eating, Steve took Danny by the hand and they walked through the casino floor, checking in with employees as well as chatting with a few of the guests at random, Steve charming those spending a handful of dollars just as he had the ones spending thousands.

By the time they made it back to the lobby it was late and they were tired. Considering the time difference, it really was time to go to bed. 

Chin met them, folder in hand and Steve looked at him mournfully. "Please tell me you don't need me again tonight."

"It's okay, I dealt with it."

"Problem?" Danny asked, intrigued. 

Chin shook his head. "We had a medical issue - epileptic seizure in one of the shops. Max took care of it."

"When you say 'took care of it'…?"

"I mean he took care of it. The guy is fine, got taken out the back in an ambulance. Then Max entertained the crowd in the pool bar by playing piano for half an hour."

Steve rolled his eyes and Danny looked between the two men. "Who's Max?"

"He's our in-house doctor," Steve said, "He's… quirky."

"Ah. Well, that happens," Danny answered, getting a raised eyebrow from Chin but all three let the moment pass. 

"So if you can just sign these things, you can be on your merry way," Chin said, opening his folder and brandishing a pen for Steve.

"Sometimes, I really wonder what I'm signing. For all I know I've signed over my kidneys to you," Steve said as he paid no attention to the documents, just trusted Chin and signed on the dotted line. 

"You did that three months ago, Steve. This one's for your spleen."

"Ah," Steve laughed. "That's okay then."

Once done, Chin bid them a goodnight. Steve told him to get some decent sleep himself and then he dragged Danny away. 

When they got up to Steve's penthouse, it didn't take long for the mood to change from tired out to horny. Steve backed Danny into the wall with a thump and pried his legs apart with a knee while attacking the vest and shirt he was wearing. 

Somehow their mouths lined up and tongues dueled for dominance and Steve was having none of it. With a growl he pulled back, grabbing Danny's wrists from where they were on his waist and chest and turned him, slamming him back up against the wall. He kept a firm grip, his larger hands holding easily around Danny's wrists and keeping them pressed into the hard surface.

He nosed behind Danny's ear and licked against the softer skin at his hairline. "About that list of approved people…"

"Yeah?" Danny encouraged. 

"There's only one name that matters. And it's mine," he growled so low in his throat that Danny could feel the vibration as Steve's teeth trailed over his neck and onto his shoulder. "Stay here. And strip," Steve ordered before backing up enough to run into the bedroom. 

Danny did as demanded, knowing that indulging this mood of Steve's would lead to a fantastic pay off, even if he really should have the 'I'm not your property' speech in the morning. He kicked off his shoes and unbuttoned as fast as possible, pushing his clothing aside with a foot, not worried about rumpling things when his brain was making its way south. 

Steve strode back into the room, lube in hand and just as naked as Danny. He stopped and marveled as he saw Danny brace his hands against the wall again and it seemed to spur him on to move faster, coming up behind Danny and wrapping around him, taking out all the air and leaving just them, attached by sweaty, hot skin and determination. 

Danny had no clue how many hands were on him, but it felt like at least four the way Steve was moving over him, until he suddenly sunk to his knees and bit against Danny's ass cheek, before moving them apart and tonguing his hole. Danny yelped in surprise, really not used to having anyone do this to him and as Steve continued further it felt amazing.

Before Danny could get too carried away, Steve's tongue was replaced by the feel of cool lube sliding down his heated skin and insistent fingers pushing into him. His forehead banged into the wall and his hands gave way to his forearms as he balanced against it. Steve stood straighter, using his height to his advantage and loomed over Danny's back like a shadow as his fingers continued to delve into him with intent and purpose, seeking out the best angles to attack him with and making his knees go weak as they pressed against his prostate.

"No one else is going to make you feel like this, Danny, no one."

"Pretty high opinion of yourself," Danny choked out as Steve pushed three fingers into him. 

"I've watched you come, baby, I _**know**_ I'm that good," Steve's lips curved against Danny's jaw in satisfaction then trailed nips over and down the crook of his neck, latching on and biting more red marks into his skin.

Steve's fingers disappeared and his knees bent and then he was entering Danny, sliding in, well-practiced, knowing what to do to turn Danny into Jell-o. Their height difference made it incredibly difficult, and it wasn't long before Danny was uncomfortably pressed fully flat against the wall and Steve's legs were shaking with the effort of keeping low. 

With frustration, Steve pulled out of Danny with a wet slap and pulled on him, throwing him onto the couch arm, ass in the air. Danny grabbed onto a couch cushion and slid further on only to be stopped by a determined Steve, who manhandled him into a better position before shoving his cock back into him, hard.

He felt thoroughly used and like a rag doll as his legs were pushed wider apart by Steve's hands, before they sought out Danny's wrists again, pulling them behind his back in a ninja move and then Danny was face-planted into the seat. He could have fought against the hold but he was concentrating too much on the feel of Steve fucking into him to care, and when Steve held onto both of his wrists with just one hand, and snuck the other under to touch him, it felt even better.

It wasn't long before he was coming, shouting Steve's name out and talking nonsense words though somewhere in there he may have mentioned how hard he'd come and how fucking amazing Steve was. He didn't care about the mess they were making on what was probably the most expensive couch he'd ever been near, he only knew that he felt fantastic and boneless and the sound of Steve behind him as he stayed deep inside was like music. Steve came with erratic thrusts, unwilling to leave the tightness of Danny's ass, preferring instead to collapse on top of him, finally letting go of his wrists as he did, and moving his hand to feel at where they were joined together, probing around his dick to feel the spread of Danny's hole, the stretch of him, and try to push a finger inside, widening him further. 

Danny fumbled behind him, trying to stop Steve. Now was not the time to be experimenting with his ass. Steve pulled out of him, replacing his cock with two of his fingers again that pressed in and out a few more times before pulling out. Steve wiped himself off on Danny's hip and settled on the couch, turning them until they were spooned together, running a calming hand down Danny's arm until it twined with his fingers and he raised their joined hands, staring at them approvingly. 

"How do you feel?" Steve quietly asked. 

"Thoroughly fucked," Danny answered honestly. 

He was beginning to wonder if he was having too much sex. Was that even possible? He was sleeping well, despite the fact that his life had gone through the ringer in less than two weeks. But then, he knew his method of coping was fucked up, quite literally, if the best way he had found to silence his mind was to have Steve's dick inside him, his hands leaving bruises on his hips and his teeth scraping and biting red marks into his neck and chest.

"Good. You asked for it, after all," Steve chuckled.

"What? When?" 

"Amidst the cries for me to fuck you harder and faster, you just told me that if I didn't rip your ass to shreds you were dumping me."

"I did?" Danny turned his head to see Steve's face, to see if he was making it up.

"You did," Steve's fingers playing in Danny's hair. "It was actually really hot at the time."

"Well I'm not dumping you. Not this time," Danny sighed, snuggling back against Steve, ready to go to sleep, even if the drying sweat on his body was giving him goosebumps. "You have a gift, my friend. Let it be known that you are actually a God beneath the sheets. But if you ask me about this again, I'll deny ever saying it."

Steve kissed his shoulder and hugged him closer. Both were unwilling to move, but it had to happen eventually.

"Come on," Steve heaved himself up and forced Danny to stand with him. "Bed."

*

Danny woke to the feel of being prodded and something being dumped on top of him. "What the fuck?"

"Put your pants on. We're going out," was all the response he got. 

He pushed himself up to sit, the clothing that had been thrown over his head falling into his lap and he stared at it like it had committed a sin. The fact that it was a t-shirt and pair of board shorts cemented that feeling. He really didn't want to contemplate much in his life beyond breakfast, let alone why Steve wanted to get him into this kind of clothing. "I need a shower and coffee. Not necessarily in that order."

"No time for either. Get dressed, or I'll dress you. Either way you have five minutes then we need to head out," Steve opened his arms in innocence as Danny glared at him. "I let you sleep as long as possible. I don't deserve credit for that?"

"It is Sunday. We were up late. I'm probably jet lagged-"

"It's like a three hour difference."

"And," Danny continued on, ignoring the interruption, "you said you had no plans for today beyond meetings. Meetings that don't involve me. So why the hell am I getting up at the crack of dawn?"

"It's 8 o'clock," Steve answered, without actually answering anything. 

"I hate you."

"No, you don't. Get dressed. Let's go, chop chop," Steve clapped his hands together and left the room, putting an end to anymore arguments and leaving Danny to grumble to himself as he forced on the shorts and t-shirt, found a pair of tennis shoes that had been left nearby for him, and stumbled out of the bedroom and down the small hallway to find Steve waiting by the door.

They made it into the elevator, Danny tiredly leaning into Steve, and then he was led through the corridors of the hotel until they were outside into the early morning sun and Danny was squinting into the light wondering why he didn't have sunglasses.

"Howzit, boss!" A voice came from nearby and Steve slapped his hand enthusiastically into the newcomer's. 

"Ben, you got everything set up for me?"

"Sure thing. Boards are by the pool ready to go and I brought this," he pointed to the camera around his neck. "Do you want me to actually help with the lesson or just hang back and take the pictures."

"If you see me do something wrong, jump on in, by all means," Steve answered. 

"I'm hearing words and phrases that I recognize and yet, I still have no idea what's going on," Danny raised his hand, getting their attention. "But I do gather that the man who said he had no plans has somehow colluded with others to create an entire program of events without my knowledge."

"Ben, this is Danny," they gave each other nods of greeting. "Danny, this is Ben. He's from Hawaii and is one of the surf instructors for our wave pool. He's also a keen amateur photographer and I've enlisted him to take some shots of us today while I give you your first surfing lesson."

"You what now?" Danny asked, head straining forward wondering if his ears needed testing.

"It's going to be great," he shucked his shirt and turned to Danny, expectantly. "You'll do better without your tee."

Danny cleared his throat, and turned to try and speak quietly to Steve. "I'm not taking my shirt off."

"You scared you'll get burnt or something?"

"No, no, I can stop that from happening with sunscreen, what I can't avoid is the fact that you seem to want to document this occasion with pictures and my body isn't exactly… 'blemish free' right now." Steve looked at him like he'd grown a second head, his brain seemingly slow in decoding the bigger words. "I'm covered in your teeth marks," Danny slapped Steve's arms.

"Is that all you're worried about?"

"Is that…? No, that's not all. Did it occur to you that I don't _**want**_ to learn how to surf?"

"Who wouldn't want to learn how to surf?"

"Me, I don't. I don't like the beach and I don't like the water, why would I want to combine two things I hate by learning to surf?"

"You feel quite strongly about this." Steve kept curious eyes on him. Danny knew that meant he wanted to dig into Danny's brain and find out what his problem was with the beach and the ocean so that he could try to fix it. But some things couldn't be fixed. Danny turned away from him, hands on his hips, trying not to look around too much at the tourists who had beaten the crowds to get the sun loungers first.

There was low talking behind him as Steve asked Ben to give them a minute, he then hooked his arm into Danny's and led him to the nearest lounger and sat them both down on it. 

"Talk to me," Steve asked. Or ordered. It sounded like something in between, and there was compassion in his eyes that said he'd take whatever Danny said seriously. 

Danny found himself telling a story he hadn't spoken about in a long time, let alone tried to think about. Not that he didn't want to remember one of the best friends he ever had, he just never wanted to remember Billy dying, or how he'd felt at that time. Now Steve was the first person he was opening up to about it in years and it flowed easily. 

By the end of it, Steve's hand was clasped in his, his other over it in support and he comforted Danny with a kiss to his forehead. "I'm sorry you went through that," Steve said. "It must have been tough. Even strong swimmers can get caught in riptides."

"Yeah. I haven't really gone swimming since. Nothing more than the local pool, you know?"

Steve nodded. "You skateboarded growing up, you told me that before."

"Yeah, and I'm pretty damn good, too," Danny nodded. 

"Look, this pool is safe, the waves are all controlled. I think you've already got a good grounding for learning this stuff and if you don't like it, you don't take it further. But if you do like it, you shouldn't let your fear get the better of you. You were a kid when it happened and that can be scarring, but I don't think Billy would want you to shut away part of your life for his sake."

"Just one lesson?" Danny asked, thinking that it might be okay to have one. After all, Steve trying to teach him something might be fun. Or funny. 

"Just one," Steve answered, ducking his head down so their lips could meet long enough to be reassuring and hopeful. "And I promise that the pictures can be photoshopped to make you look like alabaster, if that's what you want."

"Fine," Danny grumbled, reaching to take his shirt off and demanding the sunscreen from Steve's pocket. "I really don't know why I let you talk me into these things."

"I know why," Steve smirked.

"Care to enlighten me?" Danny asked as rubbed the cream on his chest, turning slightly to let Steve get some on his back. 

"Nope."

*

It was frustrating to be not actually going anywhere near the water while he learned the basics. It wasn't what he'd expected, and with the way Steve kept handling his hips and turning him every which way, Danny was beginning to really look forward to getting into the pool so that Steve would stop touching him like that. They were in public and wearing shorts. Adding touching into the mix was not a good idea. 

By the end of the lesson, Danny's frustrations had switched to the board itself, as he climbed out of the water for the last time and dropped it at Ben's feet, claiming surfing to be all hard work for five seconds of pay off.

"The more experienced you get at it, the longer and better the pay off, brah. Like sex," Ben grinned at him and Danny choked on air as Steve patted his ass as he went by, taking care of the board he had with more care. 

"Well, it's not like I'm going to have much opportunity to improve," Danny scowled at Steve as he came back. 

"I got some good ones, Boss. You still want me to hang for a bit?"

"We're having breakfast in an hour at Ohana's. If you meet us there, that'll be good."

"No sweat," Ben said as he bid them farewell.

They showered together back upstairs, which was stupid because it led to mutual hand jobs and slowed down the whole process. It meant they were late for their reservation, but considering it was for Steve, no one had a problem with it, and they had a nice table by the window that overlooked the wave pool and stretch of manufactured beach.

Ben came by long enough to let Steve know he was there and then disappeared off again. Danny's eyes darted around until he saw the camera up, pointed in their direction. He looked over at Steve. "Is there a reason you have the poor guy following us around with a camera? Is this your way of getting me used to paparazzi or something?"

"No," Steve smiled and reached over for Danny's hand. "This is me hiring someone to take some photos of us. They're not for anyone else but us, unless we want to supply a nice one to the press at some point. I just thought it would be nice. Maybe get some framed. I've got one that Laura took for us at the Grand Canyon. She emailed it to me on Friday, and I really like it. We're not even aware of her taking it and it's just a nice snapshot of a moment. I thought we'd try and create some more."

"That's both creepy and romantic. I don't know how you do it."

"I'm taking that as a compliment. Thank you."

Their food arrived and Danny was surprised, because they hadn't ordered. But it turned out Steve had done the 'sample' thing again, only this time, he'd asked them to include extra of the malasadas Danny had so enjoyed before. And after their morning workout in the pool, the pastries were much needed. 

Steve pointed out the window. "So I've been thinking about expanding the beach area into the empty land we have further down."

"More beach?" Danny asked, licking his fingers.

"Well, I thought about doing a sea life area, you know, like a reef? I thought at first about doing a dolphin pool for Grace but I'm not keen on the idea. I don't think it's large enough for them and I know I'd have animal rights groups on my ass. They'd have a valid point, too."

"Wait, you wanted to build it for Gracie?"

"I still do. Only now I'm thinking smaller sea creatures. Rays maybe and fish, coral, all sorts. Make it for snorkeling and have some trainers on hand to let people handle the rays and teach them about conservation. You think Grace would let me name it after her?"

"Let you? She'd throw herself at you and never let you go but-"

"Don't start with me, Danny. I've been trying to come up with a use for that land for ages and Grace and her decorating ideas inspired me finally. It's not some sort of elaborate gift, I'm still doing it to make money for the hotel, I'm just saying… I think she'd like it and it'll be nice for her to have more to do when she's here. Frankly, the hotel could use more family-friendly activities."

Danny stared stupidly at Steve. "I…"

"What?" Steve asked.

Danny had almost said it. Almost said three words that wanted to flow naturally off his tongue but he'd stopped them because it hadn't been long since they'd met, he still felt scarred from his relationship with Rachel, and he wasn't sure he wanted to be the first to say it. 

"Never mind."

*

As it was approaching noon, they made their way to the lobby, which is where Danny assumed they would separate, knowing Steve needed to go back to his office and the boardrooms for his meetings.

Steve leant his arms on the counter and Chin moved behind and shoved a clipboard in front of Danny, expectantly.

"What's this?" Danny asked.

Steve looked at him. "I need you to pick a room number. For the lottery. Some lucky guests are going to be given a grand of casino chips."

Danny pointed at the list in front of him. No names, just numbers of occupied rooms. "I thought that whole thing was fake."

"It was," Chin answered for him. "But we liked it so much, we decided to keep it. All you have to do is stay with us and you're in with a shot of winning 1000 dollars. It's catchy. Good for PR."

"Okay." Danny pointed to a room number. "Gracie's birthday."

"Do you want to deliver the good news?" Chin asked him.

"I thought you made them come to you? Or wait, hold on, that part really was all about getting me down here, wasn't it. Well, no, I'll leave someone else to do the manual labor. Dodgy knee, and all that," Danny pointed to the reason he was on medical leave, or at least, what they were telling people was the reason.

"Right, gotta love you and leave you. Kono is…" Steve looked around and spotted her coming over. "Kono is right here, she'll be with you this afternoon to make sure everything is okay, but call me direct if you need anything else."

"Ah, it's okay," Danny protested. "Think I can manage without. I don't need a bodyguard, thanks," he turned to Kono. "No offense, I'm sure you're very good."

"Kono, stay with him," Steve ordered and she nodded. 

"Wait, hold up. I just said I don't need a bodyguard. Are you deaf as well as crazy?"

"I'd prefer you have someone with you. Especially if you go outside the hotel."

"Okay, this is where I remind you that I am a trained police officer. Which means I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. And if this is about the paparazzi, I know how to spot a camera in a bush; I know how to spot a tail. I'm good."

"Like you were yesterday? With Gabrielle Asano? Kono knows who to look out for. You don't."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Fine, she can come with. But I doubt it's going to be very exciting."

"Good, we don't need any more excitement in our lives right now," Steve reached out an arm to Danny, then gave him a quick peck on the lips, before heading behind the scenes with Chin.

Danny turned to Kono "What do 10 year old girls like, that I can get here that's unique to Vegas? I ask because Gracie demanded a gift since I wouldn't be seeing her today. And you are a girl, so hopefully you know what girls like."

"I think I can help. Let's go shopping."

*

About an hour later, Danny and Kono had found a few things for Grace. A couple of tacky souvenirs from Las Vegas as well as The Pearl itself, and then he got her a new Dolphin Trainer Annie doll that had some kind of Hawaiian theming to it, like the hotel. 

Kono had all their purchases sent up to the suite and then Danny declared he was sick of seeing the hotel and staff members who would go out of their way to help him, and wanted to head outside. Kono, bless her heart, did try to talk him out of walking, and attempted to get him in a car instead, but he refused. He didn't want to go far, but he wanted to see a few of the things roundabout. Heck, he'd never actually stood by the fountain at the Bellagio and it seemed like a thing to do. 

They weren't far into their walk when there was a scream from behind them and a woman shouted, "He stole my purse!"

Danny looked around, spotting the thief in his dirty jeans and hoodie as he ran into the middle of the road to get away. Without thinking, Danny started running after him, cop instincts taking over, while Kono followed, slower and on her phone. 

When the car horn blasted, he realized it had been a bad idea to run out, but it was too late now.

*

Steve was finishing up his second meeting of three when Chin, eyes down over his phone for the last few minutes, stood and made his way around the desk and whispered in his ear. 

"What do you mean, 'a situation'?"

"Danny's on the news, Steve. Kono just texted me to tell me there's a News Channel 2 van outside the hotel covering it."

"Why am I just finding out about this now?"

"She says Danny didn't want to worry you. She's only saying something now as a heads up."

"Is he hurt?"

"I don't think so."

Steve turned to the assembled group who were shuffling papers ready to leave anyway. "If you'll excuse me, ladies, gentlemen," he nodded at them and made his way down the corridor to his office, trying not to do so at a run. 

"Kono was supposed to keep me up to date on everything. _**Everything**_ ," he grunted the last word. If Danny was hurt, or being harassed, he needed to know, damnit. He grabbed the remote from his desk and turned the television straight to Channel 2.

_Breaking news live from The Strip this afternoon, I'm going to throw over to Stacy Davis for more, Stacy, reports coming in about a purse snatching incident with a twist, what can you tell us?"_

_Yes, Barbara, I'm near The Pearl Resort and Spa where it all occurred. A would-be thief made off with a tourist's purse that we have been told had 2000 dollars of spending money inside. Had he got away with it, it would have been a big score but unlucky for him, the nation's most famous cop was just yards away._

_As everyone knows, Steve McGarrett owns The Pearl and he is currently staying here with his New Jersey Police Detective partner. Detective Williams was out enjoying the sights when witnesses say he leapt into action, throwing himself into the street to give chase. I've been told it was like watching a scene from an action movie, as he jumped and slid over the hood of a braking car and then sped after the unfortunate bag snatcher, grabbing him by the back of his hooded top and bringing him to the ground. He then stayed with the criminal until the nearest police cruiser arrived to arrest him. I've also been told he calmed the shocked victim. I believe we have a few cell phone photos that were submitted to the station and they're on the screen now._

_The area looks clear behind you, Stacy. Have the police finished?_

_They have, Barbara. One police officer who spoke to us before clearing the scene told us it was a run of the mill arrest, the kind of crime that unfortunately plagues every big city like Las Vegas. Of course, it's not the kind of crime that would typically make the news headlines, but when celebrities are involved, we all want to know more, and it did draw quite a crowd in the half hour or so it took for the police to investigate. What we can take away from this one is: criminals may want to stay away from the area around this Resort. Not only does it have a Navy SEAL in charge, but Steve McGarrett's new love interest won't pull his punches either. Back to you in the studio._

Steve clicked off the TV, and rubbed his face. 

*

Danny was sitting with Kono in the precinct. He'd gone with Mrs. Sutton to try and help her, she'd been in complete shock at the theft of her handbag and until her husband came to pick her up, he didn't think she should be alone and Danny's was the friendly face she'd latched onto. She was still shaking while thanking Danny for the 20 thousandth time, and trying to offer him a reward that he was constantly refusing.

When his phone rang he looked at the caller I.D., noticed it was Steve and smiled at his new friend. "I have to take this," he said as he pressed the button to answer. "Hi Steve."

"Danny, what the fuck happened?"

"I assume Kono told you?"

"The local news did, Danny. They're outside the hotel covering the story. What possessed you-"

"I was doing my job, Steven, it's no big deal," He smiled over at Mrs. Sutton, biting his tongue at Steve's bitchy tone, not wanting to worry her. 

"Funny, the last time I checked your job was in New Jersey and we are currently in Las Vegas, which, if I remember correctly, IS IN NEVADA! And yes, it is a big deal, because now I have to prepare a statement on our behalf to get the press off our backs tonight."

"Why?"

" _ **Why**_? Because you're famous now, Danny,. Whether you like it or not, you are in the public eye and it doesn't matter if you do something good, bad, or stupid, they always want a reaction of some type. Look, where are you, I'll come get you."

"I'm at the precinct, I'm staying with Mrs. Sutton until her husband arrives, which shouldn't be long. I'm not sure on the street address. I'll have Kono text you."

"I'll be there shortly."

*

Steve showed up about forty minutes later. Mrs. Sutton was safely on her way, her husband happy in the knowledge that the bag snatcher was being charged and that it was his third offense so he'd be doing jail time for it. 

Danny and Kono were waiting by the desk of an officer Danny had been talking to at the scene. Meka was a good guy, he reminded him of Owen, but without the pale Irish skin his partner had. 

"There you are," Steve said coming up to them. "I spoke with the news, gave them a quick interview in exchange for them getting their van the hell away from my property. Now, you want to explain yourself? Kono?" He turned his head at the last to face his assistant.

"He ran, boss. For someone with an injured knee who's about a foot shorter than me, no offense, he's quick."

"It's like, four inches, tops," Danny said back to her and she shrugged, then he turned to Steve, hoping to stop the argument before it began. "Steve, it's my job, I can't just ignore my instincts like that. You'd have done the same thing."

Steve put his hands on his hips and nodded, not meeting Danny's eyes until he'd calmed. It was like he'd been carrying tension in his shoulders until he'd seen Danny with his own eyes. "Danny, I know that. And It's not about treating you like some delicate flower, okay? What you have to understand is that you're not just in the public eye now, but it's in relation to me. Do you know how many death threats I get on a monthly basis, all in a file somewhere in Chin's office? I have a private security firm on retainer that's ready to swoop in should something happen to one of the family. Kidnapping, or whatever, we have contingency plans in place and I had you added to that this week. There are orders on what to do, if something happens to you. Then today, I get Chin in my ear telling me there's been an incident and it's on the news and my mind goes straight to thinking the worst."

Danny's stomach sunk. He'd had no idea, and as Steve talked he seemed to be getting upset again. "I'm sorry, babe. I didn't know."

Steve pulled Danny into his arms. "I should have told you sooner. You need to know what might happen. I just… I didn't know how to say anything without worrying you, or making you worry about Grace, and her losing you."

"Are you saying there are threats against me now?"

"Nothing we didn't expect. A couple of crazy fans who are incensed that I'm in a relationship with you rather than them. The usual."

"I never even considered that either. Being famous kind of sucks for you."

"Yeah, it does," Steve relaxed finally with a laugh. "But hey, I grew up with it, and nothing's ever happened, so it's not like we're expecting anything. It's just, you know… what if. Rich people and ransoms and all that."

"You weren't this worried before when I went back to work."

"You didn't make the 3 o'clock news for that."

"True," Danny agreed. 

He bid goodbye to Meka, and then the three of them made their way out. 

"Are your meetings done?"

"Not yet, got one more then we can fit in dinner before we leave."

*

When they got back to the hotel, the security team had done a good job of making sure there was no press around looking for more on the story. The news channel had stayed true to their word and there was no sign of their van as the car pulled up.

Danny decided to spend the remainder of his time without Steve back in the penthouse and he was determined to enjoy the Jacuzzi on the deck. It may not be as fulfilling an experience as the first time, but he didn't get to enjoy a dip very often and he figured, why the hell not?

Steve returned two hours later, done for the day, and he stripped down just inside the glass door.

"Wait, are you coming out here naked?" Danny asked, a hand over his own crotch. He was at least in a pair of swim trunks. 

"It's private here, Danny. No one can see." he shoved his underwear down, kicking it off and then stalking out onto the deck and straight into the pool. He swam a couple of laps before rising out of the water, drops falling from his hair and down over his chest, his biceps taut from holding him up as he climbed out. If it had been in slow motion, Danny was sure he would have drooled at the sight. He dripped over to the Jacuzzi and made his way in before crowding Danny into the corner. 

"Deja vu," Steve said as he nipped at Danny's lips. 

"I'll never be able to look at this Jacuzzi and not get hard remembering," Danny answered against Steve's lips. 

"We could have a repeat performance," Steve teased. 

"Hmmmmm, not right now," Danny lifted himself up and pushed Steve back, then straddled him, lips barely leaving each other's as they kissed, languidly, un-rushed, tongues exploring with no purpose other than to touch each other with lazy moans. 

Danny moved slowly against Steve, wet bodies meeting under the water, hands darting above and below the waterline with little splashes as they journeyed over hard planes of skin. Steve gripped into Danny's ass, pulling him closer and higher, opening him up enough to slide his hard cock between the cheeks and rub against him for friction. 

Danny grabbed onto Steve's neck and abandoned kissing him in favor of taking in breath but, reluctant to lose their close contact, leaned their foreheads together. Steve's fingers dipped low, trying to keep his cock in place against Danny as he rubbed off on him, teasing with the motions. 

Danny groaned and put his head over Steve's shoulder, pulling his chest in tighter against him, pushing his groin against Steve's flat stomach, but the friction wasn't enough. 

"Touch yourself, baby," Steve ordered. "Touch yourself and look at me."

Danny pulled back, palming his own cock and meeting Steve's eyes, lust shining from them, even this close and out of focus as Danny's head held tight to his. 

"Steve…"

"Think of me, Danny, only me. Think about all the heat around us, around you… all of it is me."

"Steve… babe…"

"Come for me, Danny, give it to me."

Steve's finger teased at Danny's hole, the tip pushing in despite the lack of lube in the water, his other fingers probed lower, rubbing against him, making it feel like there were more hands on him as he pumped himself hard and came, water taking away the traces as he choked on his breath, stuttering kisses against Steve's lips.

"That's it… that's what I like…" Steve soothed him through his orgasm, dropping his hands from his own cock and Danny's ass and moving them up his back. He still hadn't come, though. 

Danny pulled back. "Up," he gestured, motioning for Steve to sit up on the outside of the Jacuzzi with just his feet and Danny in the water still. "I can't breathe under water like you, I need you higher."

Realizing what Danny was going to do, Steve moved quickly, opening his knees and letting Danny in between as the wet heat of his mouth engulfed Steve's cock. It was still warm out, but Danny knew his mouth was hotter and all Steve's attention would be with him. He teased, doing his best to make the other man incoherent until the hand in his hair became more insistent, Steve's dick pushing in harder and he took as much as he could, letting Steve fuck his mouth.

He moved his mouth away, replacing it with his hand just in time before Steve came, spurting over Danny's chest. Steve then slid his body back under the water and began kissing Danny again in the dirtiest way possible.

They stayed in the water, lazily touching each other, lying against the wall and each other, letting the sun and the water keep them warm.

*

They decided to order in for dinner. It wasn't that they were _hiding_ , more just… avoiding people. No one in particular, just people in general. 

Because they weren't going anywhere, there was no real need to get dressed up so Steve had just pulled on a pair of board short and Danny was in a pair of underpants and a robe that was untied and open. 

After they were done, they moved outside and sat on the table on the deck with glasses of wine, watching the Las Vegas skyline in comfort. They didn't have long to relax though, they'd have to get dressed soon and head back to the airport. 

Draining the last of his glass, Danny stood and moved over to lean on the balcony railing. Steve came up behind him and braced his arms on either side of Danny as they looked out.

"Do you think you could live here?"

Danny thought about it. He was getting comfortable here, it was a nice place to come to relax, or maybe that was just because Steve did his best to make things easy when they were in the hotel. He didn't think he could ever live here though. He hated the desert. Too much sand, and sand got places sand should never be. And it was hot. Oppressively hot, and he couldn't spend a lifetime here in the air conditioning or the pool. But none of that truly mattered. 

He shrugged, feeling Steve's chest press into his back. "Doesn't really matter where I might or might not want to live. I've got a daughter, and it's important for me to raise her with stability, which is hard enough as it is with Rachel and I getting divorced. Gracie is in New Jersey, so that's where I am. End of story."

"You're a great father, Danny. Better than the one I had, or that I think I'd be. It's one of the things I love about you." He smiled into Danny's hair.

"You need to be here for work, you can't stay in New York, or Jersey, long-term," Danny worried. There was no way they could have a long distance relationship. They needed to figure something better out. 

"Give it time, we'll think of something," Steve reassured him. "I'm not letting this go."

"I'm not either," Danny turned his head enough to smile at Steve and kiss against his jaw. Steve then turned into him, answering it with a kiss to his lips.

"I love you, Danny, that's the most important thing in all of this."

Danny took a breath and there was a silence weighing heavy between them until he turned in Steve's arms, back pressed into the balcony ledge. "It's been two weeks. This whole relationship started out as a challenge, as an experiment of sorts and now you're telling me you love me?"

"You love me, too," Steve argued back, nose snuffling against Danny's then resting their foreheads together.

"Even so," Danny contended. "Are we sure we know what the hell we're doing? Trying to make plans for the future?"

Steve's hand came to cradle Danny's face. "Anything could happen, but we're partners in this now. It's going to be great."

Steve fumbled in the pocket of his shorts and pulled out his phone, loading something up, while Danny turned back to look out over the view. 

"Here," Steve said, arm coming around the smaller man and showing Danny one of the pictures Ben had taken earlier that was now his lock screen on his phone. It was of the two of them clowning around during their surf lesson. Both were in just their shorts and wet from going in and out of the pool, and had stopped to kiss. You could see them both smiling and laughing through it. It looked good. They looked good together. 

Danny grinned as he leaned his head back against Steve's shoulder. Maybe it would be great. "I love you, too."

**Author's Note:**

> OMG it's done. Aaaaaand rest...  
> ...  
> ..  
> .  
> Aaaaaand start typing sequel... coming shortly, cos I'm a glutton for punishment, so yay, this story got its fluffy, optimistic end and then when I start posting the next story I will rip those cuddly feelings apart and stomp on them and smash them with a hammer.  
> :D
> 
> Here's the matching artwork: http://archiveofourown.org/works/1784245/chapters/3824677


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